Therefore, ^alaying aside all ¹malice and all deceit and ²hypocrisy and ³envy and all ^4bslander, 2 ^alike newborn babies, long for the ^1bpure ²milk of the word, so that by it you may ^cgrow ³in respect to salvation, 3 if you have ^aTASTED ^1bTHE KINDNESS OF THE ²LORD.

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^arejected by men, but is ¹choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 ^ayou also, as living stones, ¹are being built up as a ^bspiritual house for a holy ^cpriesthood, to ^doffer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in ¹Scripture:“^aBEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A ^bPRECIOUS CORNER stone,AND HE WHO BELIEVES UPON ²HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.” 7 ^aThis precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,“^bTHE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS ^cREJECTED,THIS HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNER stone,” 8 and,“^aA STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE.”^bThey stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^cand to this stumbling they were also appointed.

9 But you are ^aA CHOSEN FAMILY, A royal ^bPRIESTHOOD, A ^cHOLY NATION, ^dA PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^eout of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 ^afor you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

11 ^aBeloved, ^bI urge you as ^csojourners and exiles to abstain from ^dfleshly lusts which wage ^ewar against the soul, 12 ^aby keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they ^bslander you as evildoers, they may ¹because of your good works, as they observe them, ^cglorify God ^din the DAY OF ²VISITATION.

13 ^aBe subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent ¹by him ^afor the punishment of evildoers and the ^bpraise of those who do good. 15 For ^1asuch is the will of God that by doing good you may ^bsilence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as ^afree people, and ¹do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as ^bslaves of God. 17 ^aHonor all people, ^blove the ¹brethren, ^cfear God, ^dhonor the ²king.

18 ^aServants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to those who are good and ^bconsiderate, but also to those who are ¹crooked. 19 For this finds ¹favor, if for the sake of ^aconscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unrighteously. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure? But if ^awhen you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this finds favor with God.

21 For to this ^ayou have been called, ^bsince Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^can example that you should follow in His steps, 22 WHO ^aDID NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 who being ^areviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. 24 Who Himself ^1abore our sins in His body on the ^btree, so that ^chaving died to ²sin, we might live to righteousness; ^dby His ³WOUNDS YOU WERE ^eHEALED. 25 For you were ^acontinually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^bShepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Therefore, ^arid yourselves of all ¹malice and all deceit and ²hypocrisy and ³envy and all ^4bslander, 2 ^aand like newborn babies, long for the ^1bpure ²milk of the word, so that by it you may ^cgrow ³in respect to salvation, 3 if you have ^atasted ^1bthe kindness of the Lord.

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^arejected by people, but is ¹choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 ^ayou also, as living stones, ¹are being built up as a ^bspiritual house for a holy ^cpriesthood, to ^doffer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in ¹Scripture:“^aBEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A ^bPRECIOUS CORNERSTONE,AND THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN ²HIM WILL NOT BE ³PUT TO SHAME.” 7 ^aThis precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,“^bA STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS ^cREJECTED,THIS BECAME THE ¹CHIEF CORNERSTONE,” 8 and,“^aA STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”;^bfor they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^cand to this they were also appointed.

9 But you are ^aA CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal ^bPRIESTHOOD, A ^cHOLY NATION, ^dA PEOPLE FOR GOD’S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^eout of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 ^afor you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

11 ^aBeloved, ^bI urge you as ^cforeigners and strangers to abstain from ^dfleshly lusts, which wage ^ewar against the soul. 12 ^aKeep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^bslander you as evildoers, they may ¹because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^cglorify God ^don the day of ²visitation.

13 ^aSubmit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent ¹by him ^afor the punishment of evildoers and the ^bpraise of those who do right. 15 For ^1asuch is the will of God, that by doing right you ^bsilence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Act as ^afree people, and ¹do not use your freedom as a ²covering for evil, but use it as ^bbond-servants of God. 17 ^aHonor all people, ^blove the brotherhood, ^cfear God, ^dhonor the ¹king.

18 ^aServants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^bgentle, but also to those who are ¹harsh. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of ^aconscience toward God a person endures ¹grief when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^awhen you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

21 For ^ayou have been called for this purpose, ^bbecause Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^can example, so that you would follow in His steps, 22 HE WHO ^aCOMMITTED NO sin, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT found IN HIS MOUTH; 23 ¹and while being ^aabusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself ^1abrought our sins in His body up on the ^2bcross, so that we ^cmight die to ³sin and live for righteousness; ^dby His ⁴wounds you were ^ehealed. 25 For you were ^acontinually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^bShepherd and ¹Guardian of your souls.

So ^aput aside every trace of malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all ^bslander and hateful speech; 2 ^alike newborn babies you should long for the ^bpure milk of the word, so that by it you may ^cbe nurtured and grow in respect to salvation its ultimate fulfillment, 3 if in fact you have already ^atasted ^1bthe goodness and gracious kindness of the Lord. Ps 34:8

4 Come to Him the risen Lord as to a living Stone which men ^arejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God. Ps 118:22; Is 28:16 5 ^aYou believers, like living stones, are ¹being built up into a ^bspiritual house for a holy and dedicated ^cpriesthood, to ^doffer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:“^aBEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A CHOSEN STONE, A ^bPRECIOUS (honored) CORNERSTONE,AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him WILL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED in his expectations.” Is 28:16 7 ^aThis precious value, then, is for you who believe in Him as God’s only Son—the Source of salvation; but for those who disbelieve,“^bTHE very STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS ^cREJECTEDHAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,” Ps 118:22 8 and,“^aA STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”;^bfor they stumble because they disobey the word of God, ^cand to this they who reject Him as Savior were also appointed. Is 8:14

9 But you are ^aA CHOSEN RACE, A royal ^bPRIESTHOOD, A ^cCONSECRATED NATION, A special ^dPEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections of Him who called you ^eout of darkness into His marvelous light. Ex 19:5, 6 10 ^aOnce you were NOT A PEOPLE at all, but now you are GOD’S PEOPLE; once you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. Hos 2:23

11 ^aBeloved, ^bI urge you as ^caliens and strangers in this world to abstain from the ^dsensual urges those dishonorable desires that wage ^ewar against the soul. 12 ^aKeep your behavior excellent among the unsaved Gentiles conduct yourself honorably, with graciousness and integrity, so that ¹for whatever reason they may ^bslander you as evildoers, yet by observing your good deeds they may instead come to ^cglorify God ^2din the day of visitation when He looks upon them with mercy.

13 ^aSubmit yourselves to the authority of every human institution for the sake of the Lord to honor His name, whether it is to a king as one in a position of power, 14 or to governors as sent by him ^ato bring punishment to those who do wrong, and to ^bpraise and encourage those who do right. 15 For ^ait is the will of God that by doing right you may ^bsilence (muzzle, gag) the culpable ignorance and irresponsible criticisms of foolish people. 16 Live as ^afree people, but do not use your freedom as a cover or pretext for evil, but use it and live as ^bbond-servants of God. 17 ^aShow respect for all people treat them honorably, ^blove the brotherhood of believers, ^cfear God, ^dhonor the king.

18 ^1aServants, be submissive to your masters with all proper respect, not only to those who are good and ^bkind, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if a person endures the sorrow of suffering unjustly because of an ^1aawareness of the will of God. 20 After all, what kind of credit is there if, when you do wrong and are punished for it, you endure it patiently? But if ^awhen you do what is right and patiently bear undeserved suffering, this finds favor with God.

21 For as a believer ^ayou have been called for this purpose, ^bsince Christ suffered for you, leaving you an ^cexample, so that you may follow in His footsteps. 22 HE ^aCOMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS DECEIT EVER FOUND IN HIS MOUTH. Is 53:9 23 While being ^areviled and insulted, He did not revile or insult in return; while suffering, He made no threats of vengeance, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges fairly. 24 He personally ^acarried our sins in His body on the ^1bcross willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice, so that we ^cmight die to sin becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin and live for righteousness; for ^dby His wounds you who believe have been ^2ehealed. 25 For you were ^acontinually wandering like so many sheep, but now you have come back to the ^bShepherd and Guardian of your souls. Is 53:5, 6