1 Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander;

2 like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation,

3 for you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God,

5 and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it says in scripture: "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame."

7 Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,"

8 and "A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall." They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.

9 But you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises" of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

10 Once you were "no people" but now you are God's people; you "had not received mercy" but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.

12 Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that if they speak of you as evildoers, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation.

13 Be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme

14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the approval of those who do good.

15 For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people.

16 Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God.

17 Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king.

18 Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable but also to those who are perverse.

19 For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering because of consciousness of God, that is a grace.

20 But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.

22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."

23 When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.

24 He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

25 For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.