A Living Stone and a Holy Nation
1 Stop being hateful! Quit trying to fool people, and start being sincere. Don't be jealous or say cruel things about others. 2 Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. 3 You have already found out how good the Lord really is.
4 Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honored. 5 And now you are living stones being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God. 6 It is just as God says in the Scriptures,
“Look! I am placing in Zion
a choice and precious
cornerstone.
No one who has faith
in this one
will be disappointed.”
7 You are followers of the Lord, and this stone is precious to you. But it isn't precious to those who refuse to follow him. They are the builders who tossed aside the stone that turned out to be the most important one of all. 8 They disobeyed the message and stumbled and fell over this stone, because they were doomed.
9 But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things he has done. The Scriptures say,
10 “Once you were nobody.
Now you are God's people.
At one time no one
had mercy on you.
Now God has treated you
with kindness.”
Live as God's Servants Should
11 Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you. 12 Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do.
13 The Lord wants you to obey all human authorities, especially the Emperor, who rules over everyone. 14 You must also obey governors, because they are sent by the Emperor to punish criminals and to praise good citizens. 15 God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. 16 You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. 17 Respect everyone and show special love for God's people. Honor God and respect the Emperor.
The Example of Christ's Suffering
18 Servants, you must obey your masters and always show respect to them. Do this, not only to those who are kind and thoughtful, but also to those who are cruel. 19 God will bless you, even if others treat you unfairly for being loyal to him. 20 You don't gain anything by being punished for some wrong you have done. But God will bless you, if you have to suffer for doing something good. 21 After all, God chose you to suffer as you follow in the footsteps of Christ, who set an example by suffering for you.
22 Christ did not sin
or ever tell a lie.
23 Although he was abused,
he never tried to get even.
And when he suffered,
he made no threats.
Instead, he had faith in God,
who judges fairly.
24 Christ carried the burden
of our sins.
He was nailed to the cross,
so we would stop sinning
and start living right.
By his cuts and bruises
you are healed.
25 You had wandered away
like sheep.
Now you have returned
to the one
who is your shepherd
and protector.
1 Wherefore, laying aside all maliciousnes, and all guile, and dissimulation, and enuie, and all euill speaking, 2 As newe borne babes desire that sincere milke of the woorde, that yee may growe thereby, 3 Because yee haue tasted that the Lord is bountifull. 4 To whome comming as vnto a liuing stone disallowed of men, but chosen of God and precious, 5 Yee also as liuely stones, bee made a spirituall house, an holy Priesthoode to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is conteyned in the Scripture, Beholde, I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone, elect and precious: and hee that beleeueth therein, shall not be ashamed. 7 Vnto you therefore which beleeue, it is precious: but vnto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone to stumble at, and a rocke of offence, euen to them which stumble at the woorde, being disobedient, vnto the which thing they were euen ordeined. 9 But yee are a chosen generation, a royall Priesthoode, an holy nation, a people set at libertie, that yee shoulde shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his marueilous light, 10 Which in time past were not a people, yet are nowe the people of God: which in time past were not vnder mercie, but nowe haue obteined mercie. 11 Dearely beloued, I beseeche you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule, 12 And haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles, that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers, may by your good woorkes which they shall see, glorifie God in the day of visitation. 13 Therefore submit your selues vnto all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake, whether it be vnto the King, as vnto the superiour, 14 Or vnto gouernours, as vnto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of euill doers, and for the praise of them that doe well. 15 For so is the will of God, that by well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men, 16 As free, and not as hauing the libertie for a cloke of maliciousnesse, but as the seruauntes of God. 17 Honour all men: loue brotherly fellowship: feare God: honour the King. 18 Seruaunts, be subiect to your masters with all feare, not onely to the good and courteous, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thanke worthie, if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faultes, yee take it paciently? but and if when ye doe well, ye suffer wrong and take it paciently, this is acceptable to God. 21 For hereunto ye are called: for Christ also suffred for you, leauing you an ensample that ye should follow his steppes. 22 Who did no sinne, neither was there guile found in his mouth. 23 Who when hee was reuiled, reuiled not againe: when hee suffered, hee threatned not, but comitted it to him that iudgeth righteously. 24 Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, that we being dead to sinne, should liue in righteousnesse: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheepe going astray: but are nowe returned vnto the shepheard and Bishop of your soules.