1Pe 2 | NASB2020 | STEP | Therefore , rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander ,

1 Peter 2

As Newborn Babes

1 Therefore, ^arid yourselves of all ^{▼▼Or wickedness}malice and all deceit and ^{▼▼plural nouns}hypocrisy and ^{▼▼plural nouns}envy and all ^{▼▼plural nouns
,} ^fslander, 2 ^gand like newborn babies, long for the ^{▼▼Or unadulterated
,} ⁱpure ^{▼▼Or spiritual (Gr logikos) milk, so}milk of the word, so that by it you may ^kgrow ^{▼▼Or up to salvation}in respect to salvation, 3 if you have ^mtasted ^{▼▼Lit that the Lord is kind
,} ^othe kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^prejected by people, but is ^{▼▼Lit chosen; or elect}choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 ^ryou also, as living stones, ^{▼▼Or allow yourselves to be built up; or build yourselves up}are being built up as a ^tspiritual house for a holy ^upriesthood, to ^voffer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in ^{▼▼Or a scripture}Scripture:

“ ^xBehold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a ^yprecious cornerstone,
And the one who believes in ^{▼▼Or it}Him will not be ^{▼▼Or disappointed}put to shame.”
7 ^abThis precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

“ ^acA stone which the builders ^adrejected,
This became the ^{▼▼Lit head of the corner}chief cornerstone,”
8 and,

“ ^afA stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;
^agfor they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^ahand to this they were also appointed.

9 But you are ^aia chosen people, a royal ^ajpriesthood, a ^akholy nation, ^ala people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^amout of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 ^anfor 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 ^aoBeloved, ^apI urge you as ^aqforeigners and strangers to abstain from ^arfleshly lusts, which wage ^aswar against the soul. 12 ^atKeep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^auslander you as evildoers, they may ^{▼▼Or as a result of}because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^awglorify God ^axon the day of ^{▼▼I.e., Christ’s coming again in judgment}visitation.

Honor Authority

13 ^azSubmit 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 ^{▼▼Lit through}by him ^bbfor the punishment of evildoers and the ^bcpraise of those who do right. 15 For ^{▼▼Lit so
,} ^besuch is the will of God, that by doing right you ^bfsilence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Act as ^bgfree people, and ^{▼▼Lit not having}do not use your freedom as a ^{▼▼I.e., a way to conceal}covering for evil, but use it as ^bjbond-servants of God. 17 ^bkHonor all people, ^bllove the brotherhood, ^bmfear God, ^bnhonor the ^{▼▼Or emperor}king.

18 ^bpServants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and ^bqgentle, but also to those who are ^{▼▼Or unscrupulous}harsh. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of ^bsconscience toward God a person endures ^{▼▼Or pain}grief when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if ^buwhen you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

21 For ^bvyou have been called for this purpose, ^bwbecause Christ also suffered for you, leaving you ^bxan example, so that you would follow in His steps, 22 He who ^bycommitted no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 ^{▼▼Lit who}and while being ^caabusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself ^{▼▼Or offered...up
,} ^ccbrought our sins in His body up on the ^{▼▼Lit wood; see Deut 21:23
,} ^cecross, so that we ^cfmight die to ^{▼▼Lit sins}sin and live for righteousness; ^chby His ^{▼▼Lit wound; or welt}wounds you were ^cjhealed. 25 For you were ^ckcontinually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the ^clShepherd and ^{▼▼Or Bishop, Overseer}Guardian of your souls.