2:1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all ①malice and all deceit and ②hypocrisy and ③envy and all ④slander,
▷ ①Or wickedness ②plural nouns ③plural nouns ④plural nouns
2:2 and like newborn babies, long for the ①pure ②milk of the word, so that by it you may grow ③in respect to salvation,
▷ ①Or unadulterated ②Or spiritual (Gr logikos) milk, so ③Or up to salvation
2:3 if you have tasted ①the kindness of the Lord.
▷ ①Lit that the Lord is kind
2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is ①choice and precious in the sight of God,
▷ ①Lit chosen; or elect
2:5 you also, as living stones, ①are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
▷ ①Or allow yourselves to be built up; or build yourselves up
2:6 For this is contained in ①Scripture:
“BEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE,
AND THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN ②HIM WILL NOT BE ③PUT TO SHAME.”
▷ ①Or a scripture ②Or it ③Or disappointed
2:7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,
“A STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE ①CHIEF CORNERSTONE,”
▷ ①Lit head of the corner
2:8 and,
“A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed.
2:9 But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD’S own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
2:10 for 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.
2:11 Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.
2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may ①because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God on the day of ②visitation.
▷ ①Or as a result of ②I.e., Christ’s coming again in judgment
2:13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
2:14 or to governors as sent ①by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.
▷ ①Lit through
2:15 For ①such is the will of God, that by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish people.
▷ ①Lit so
2:16 Act as free people, and ①do not use your freedom as a ②covering for evil, but use it as bond-servants of God.
▷ ①Lit not having ②I.e., a way to conceal
2:17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the ①king.
▷ ①Or emperor
2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are ①harsh.
▷ ①Or unscrupulous
2:19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person endures ①grief when suffering unjustly.
▷ ①Or pain
2:20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps,
2:22 HE who committed no sin, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT found IN HIS MOUTH;
2:23 ①and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
▷ ①Lit who
2:24 and He Himself ①brought our sins in His body up on the ②cross, so that we might die to ③sin and live for righteousness; by His ④wounds you were healed.
▷ ①Or offered...up ②Lit wood; see Deut 21:23 ③Lit sins ④Lit wound; or welt
2:25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and ①Guardian of your souls.
▷ ①Or Bishop, Overseer