1Peter 2

2So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.G3767G659G3956G2549G2532G3956G1388G2532G5272G2532G5355G2532G3956G2636 2Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,G5613G738G1025G1971G97G1051G3050G2443G837G1722G846 3now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.G1512G1089G3754G2962G5543

Living Stones for God’s House

4You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.G4314G3739G4334G2198G3037G593G3303G5259G444G1161G1588G3844G2316G1784 5And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests

. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.G846G2532G5613G2198G3037G3618G4152G3624G40G2406G399G4152G2378G2144G2316G1223G2424G5547 6As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem

, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."G1352G2532G4023G1722G1124G2400G5087G1722G4622G204G3037G1588G1784G2532G4100G1909G846G2617G3364G2617 7Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone."

G5213G3767G3588G4100G5092G1161G544G3037G3739G3618G593G3778G1096G1519G2776G1137 8And, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall."

They stumble because they do not obey God's word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.G2532G3037G4348G2532G4073G4625G3739G4350G3056G544G1519G3739G2532G5087 9But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests

, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.G1161G5210G1588G1085G934G2406G40G1484G1519G4047G2992G3704G1804G703G2564G5209G1537G4655G1519G846G2298G5457 10"Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy."

G3588G4218G3756G2992G1161G3568G2992G2316G3588G1653G3756G1653G1161G3568G1653 11Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.G27G3870G5613G3941G2532G3927G567G4559G1939G3748G4754G2596G5590 12Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world

.G2192G5216G391G2570G1722G1484G2443G1722G3739G2635G5216G5613G2555G1392G1537G2570G2041G2029G1392G2316G1722G2250G1984

Respecting People in Authority

13For the Lord's sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state,G3767G5293G3956G2937G442G1223G2962G1535G935G5613G5242 14or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.G1535G2232G5613G3992G1223G846G1519G3303G1557G2555G1161G1868G17 15It is God's will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.G3754G3779G2076G2307G2316G15G5392G56G878G444 16For you are free, yet you are God's slaves, so don't use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.G5613G1658G2532G3361G2192G1657G5613G1942G2549G235G5613G1401G2316 17Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters

. Fear God, and respect the king.G5091G3956G25G81G5399G2316G5091G935

Slaves

18You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect

. Do what they tell you—not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel.G3610G5293G1203G1722G3956G5401G3756G3440G18G2532G1933G235G2532G4646 19For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.G1063G5124G5485G1487G5100G1223G4893G2316G5297G3077G3958G95 20Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.G1063G4169G2811G1487G2532G2852G264G5278G235G1487G15G2532G3958G5278G5124G5485G3844G2316 21For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered

for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.G1063G1519G5124G2564G3754G5547G2532G3958G5228G2257G5277G2254G5261G2443G1872G846G2487 22He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.

G3739G4160G3756G266G3761G1388G2147G1722G846G4750 23He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.G3739G3058G486G3756G486G3958G546G3756G1161G3860G2919G1346 24He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.G3739G846G399G2257G266G1722G846G4983G1909G3586G2443G2198G581G266G2198G1343G3739G846G3468G2390 25Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.G1063G2258G5613G4263G4105G235G1994G3568G1994G1909G4166G2532G1985G5216G5590