1 Pedro 2

¹ Laying aside therefore all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings and all evil speakings, ² as newborn babes desire earnestly the pure mental milk of the word, that by it ye may grow up to salvation, ³ if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴ To whom coming, a living stone, cast away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious, ⁵ yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ⁶ Because it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame. ⁷ To you therefore who believe is the preciousness; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders cast away as worthless, this is become head of the corner, ⁸ and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; who stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed. ⁹ But *ye* are a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy. ¹¹ Beloved, I exhort you , as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; ¹² having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that as to that in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may through your good works, themselves witnessing them , glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³ Be in subjection therefore to every human institution for the Lord's sake; whether to the king as supreme, ¹⁴ or to rulers as sent by him, for vengeance on evildoers, and praise to them that do well. ¹⁵ Because so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of senseless men; ¹⁶ as free, and not as having liberty as a cloak of malice, but as God's bondmen. ¹⁷ Shew honour to all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king. ¹⁸ Servants, be subject with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the ill-tempered. ¹⁹ For this is acceptable, if one, for conscience sake towards God, endure griefs, suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what glory is it , if sinning and being buffeted ye shall bear it ? but if, doing good and suffering, ye shall bear it , this is acceptable with God. ²¹ For to this have ye been called; for Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps: ²² who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; ²³ who, when reviled, reviled not again; when suffering, threatened not; but gave himself over into the hands of him who judges righteously; ²⁴ who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, in order that, being dead to sins, we may live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed. ²⁵ For ye were going astray as sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.