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1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
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2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
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3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
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4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
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5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
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6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
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7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
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8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
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9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
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10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
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11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
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12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
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13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
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14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
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15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
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16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
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17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
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18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
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19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
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20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
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21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
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22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
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23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
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24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
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25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
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- 1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
- 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
- 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
- 4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
- 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
- 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER 'stone,'”
- 8 and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
- 9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
- 10 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 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
- 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
- 13 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 by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.
- 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
- 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.
- 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
- 18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.
- 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of 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 when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
- 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
- 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
- 23 and while being 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 bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
- 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
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