As Newborn Babes

Therefore, (A)putting aside all [a]malice and all deceit and [b]hypocrisy and [c]envy and all [d](B)slander, (C)like newborn babies, long for the [e](D)pure [f]milk of the word, so that by it you may (E)grow [g]in respect to salvation, if you have (F)tasted [h](G)the kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been (H)rejected by men, but is [i]choice and precious in the sight of God, (I)you also, as living stones, [j]are being built up as a (J)spiritual house for a holy (K)priesthood, to (L)offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in [k]Scripture:

(M)Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a (N)precious corner stone,
And he who believes in [l]Him will not be [m]disappointed.”

(O)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

(P)The stone which the builders (Q)rejected,
This became the very corner stone,”

and,

(R)A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

(S)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, (T)and to this doom they were also appointed.

But you are (U)a chosen race, a royal (V)priesthood, a (W)holy nation, (X)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you (Y)out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 (Z)for 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 (AA)Beloved, (AB)I urge you as (AC)aliens and strangers to abstain from (AD)fleshly lusts which wage (AE)war against the soul. 12 (AF)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they (AG)slander you as evildoers, they may [n]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, (AH)glorify God (AI)in the day of [o]visitation.

Honor Authority

13 (AJ)Submit 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 [p]by him (AK)for the punishment of evildoers and the (AL)praise of those who do right. 15 For [q](AM)such is the will of God that by doing right you may (AN)silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as (AO)free men, and [r]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as (AP)bondslaves of God. 17 (AQ)Honor all people, (AR)love the brotherhood, (AS)fear God, (AT)honor the [s]king.

18 (AU)Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and (AV)gentle, but also to those who are [t]unreasonable. 19 For this finds [u]favor, if for the sake of (AW)conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if (AX)when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds [v]favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

21 For (AY)you have been called for this purpose, (AZ)since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you (BA)an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who (BB)committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 [w]and while being (BC)reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself [x](BD)bore our sins in His body on the [y](BE)cross, so that we (BF)might die to [z]sin and live to righteousness; for (BG)by His [aa]wounds you were (BH)healed. 25 For you were (BI)continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the (BJ)Shepherd and [ab]Guardian of your souls.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:1 Or wickedness
  2. 1 Peter 2:1 plural nouns
  3. 1 Peter 2:1 plural nouns
  4. 1 Peter 2:1 plural nouns
  5. 1 Peter 2:2 Or unadulterated
  6. 1 Peter 2:2 Or spiritual (Gr logikos) milk
  7. 1 Peter 2:2 Or up to salvation
  8. 1 Peter 2:3 Lit that the Lord is kind
  9. 1 Peter 2:4 Lit chosen; or elect
  10. 1 Peter 2:5 Or allow yourselves to be built up; or build yourselves up
  11. 1 Peter 2:6 Or a scripture
  12. 1 Peter 2:6 Or it
  13. 1 Peter 2:6 Or put to shame
  14. 1 Peter 2:12 Or as a result of
  15. 1 Peter 2:12 I.e. Christ’s coming again in judgment
  16. 1 Peter 2:14 Lit through
  17. 1 Peter 2:15 Lit so
  18. 1 Peter 2:16 Lit not having
  19. 1 Peter 2:17 Or emperor
  20. 1 Peter 2:18 Or perverse
  21. 1 Peter 2:19 Or grace
  22. 1 Peter 2:20 V 19, note 1
  23. 1 Peter 2:23 Lit who
  24. 1 Peter 2:24 Or carried...up to the cross
  25. 1 Peter 2:24 Lit wood
  26. 1 Peter 2:24 Lit sins
  27. 1 Peter 2:24 Lit wound; or welt
  28. 1 Peter 2:25 Or Bishop, Overseer