1 Therefore, having put off all malice and all deceit and hypocrisies and envies and all evil-speakings, VP
2 like newborn babies, long for the reasonable, unspoiled milk, so that in it you⁺ may grow up into salvation, VP
3 if you⁺ tasted that the Lord [is] good. VP
4 Coming to [Him], a living stone, indeed rejected by men but chosen [and] precious with God, VP
5 you⁺ yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. VP
6 Therefore it is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen [and] precious cornerstone; and the [one] believing on Him shall never be put to shame.” VP
7 Therefore the preciousness [is] to you⁺ who [are] believing. But [to] [those] disbelieving, “[The] stone that those building rejected, this became into [the] head of [the] corner,” VP
8 and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” [They] stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed. VP
9 But you⁺ [are] a chosen kindred, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [His] possession, so that you⁺ may proclaim the excellencies of the [One] having called you⁺ out of darkness into His marvelous light, VP
10 who once [were] not a people, but now [are] [the] people of God—those not having received mercy, but now having received mercy. VP
11 Beloved, I exhort [you], as foreigners and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly desires, which war against the soul, VP
12 having your⁺ conduct among the Gentiles good, so that wherein which they speak against you⁺ as evildoers, out of having witnessed the good works, they may glorify God in [the] day of visitation. VP
13 Be in subjection to every human creation because of the Lord, whether to [the] king as being supreme, VP
14 or to governors as being sent by him for punishment to evildoers and praise to doers of good, VP
15 because the will of God is this: doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, VP
16 as free, and not having the freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as servants of God. VP
17 Honor everyone: love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. VP
18 Servants, be subject in all fear to [your] masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the crooked. VP
19 For this [is] grace, if because of conscience toward God, anyone bears up under griefs, suffering unjustly. VP
20 For what kind of renown [is it] if sinning and being battered, you⁺ shall endure? But if doing good and suffering, you⁺ shall endure, this [is] grace with God. VP
21 For to this you⁺ were called, because Christ also suffered for you⁺, leaving you⁺ an example so that you⁺ should follow after His footsteps: VP
22 “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth.” VP
23 Who, being reviled, was not reviling in return; suffering, was not threatening, but He was giving [Himself] up to the [One] judging justly, VP
24 who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having been dead to sins, we might live to righteousness, “by whose stripes you⁺ were healed.” VP
25 For “you⁺ were like sheep going astray,” but now you⁺ returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your⁺ souls. VP