1Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;
3if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:
4unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,
5ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6Because it is contained in scripture,
Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:
And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
7For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve,
The stone which the builders rejected,
The same was made the head of the corner;
8and,
A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence;
for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme;
14or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well.
15For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
17Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully.
20For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
24who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.
25For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Public Domain
