A Living Stone and a Holy People

1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure ^uspiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have ^vtasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone ^wrejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being ^xbuilt up as a spiritual ^yhouse, to be a holy ^zpriesthood, to offer ^aspiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

8 and

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were ^fdestined to do.

9 But you are ^ga chosen race, ^ha royal priesthood, a holy nation, ⁱa people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you ^jout of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 ^kOnce you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as ^lsojourners and ^mexiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, ⁿwhich wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and ^oglorify God on the day of visitation.

Submission to Authority

13 ^pBe subject for the Lord’s sake ^qto every human institution,² whether it be to the emperor³ as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, ^rthat by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but ^sliving as servants⁴ of God. 17 ^tHonor everyone. Love the ^ubrotherhood. ^vFear God. Honor the emperor.

18 ^wServants, ^xbe subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.⁵ 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while ^ysuffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, ^zwhen you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because ^aChrist also suffered for you, leaving you an ^bexample, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 ^cHe committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 ^dWhen he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but ^econtinued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 ^fHe himself bore our sins in his body on the ^gtree, that we might ^hdie to sin and ⁱlive to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were ^jstraying like sheep, but have now returned to the ^kShepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Wives and Husbands

1 Likewise, ^lwives, ^mbe subject to your own husbands, so that ⁿeven if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and ^opure conduct. 3 ^pDo not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the ^qhidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, ^rcalling him lord. And ^syou are ^ther children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

7 Likewise, ^uhusbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are ^vheirs with you¹ of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake

8 Finally, all of you, have ^wunity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a ^xtender heart, and a ^yhumble mind. 9 ^zDo not repay evil for evil or ^areviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that ^byou may obtain a blessing. 10 For

13 Now ^fwho is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be ^gblessed. ^hHave no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, ⁱalways being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, ^jso that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than ^kfor doing evil.

18 For ^lChrist also suffered² once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, ^mthat he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 ⁿin which³ he went and proclaimed⁴ to the spirits in prison, 20 because⁵ they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, ^owhile the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 ^pBaptism, which corresponds to this, ^qnow saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the ^rright hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.