1 The Living Stone and a Holy People Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, Or desire pure spiritual milk so that you may grow up into your salvation, Other mss omit for your salvation 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good.4 As you come to him, a living stone — rejected by people but chosen and honored by Or precious to God — 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood Or you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6 For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored Or precious cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.7 So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected — this one has become the cornerstone,8 and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.9 But you are a chosen race, Or generation, or nation a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises Or the mighty deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.11 A Call to Good Works Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, Or among the nations, or among the pagans so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor Or king as the supreme authority14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.18 Submission of Slaves to Masters Household slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel.19 For it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly.20 For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God.21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth;23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.25 For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer Or Guardian of your souls.