2:1 Having put aside, then, all evil, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil speakings,

2:2 as new-born babes the word`s pure milk desire ye, that in it ye may grow,

2:3 if so be ye did taste that the Lord [is] gracious,

2:4 to whom coming -- a living stone -- by men, indeed, having been disapproved of, but with God choice, precious,

2:5 and ye yourselves, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

2:6 Wherefore, also, it is contained in the Writing: `Lo, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, choice, precious, and he who is believing on him may not be put to shame;`

2:7 to you, then, who are believing [is] the preciousness; and to the unbelieving, a stone that the builders disapproved of, this one did become for the head of a corner,

2:8 and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence -- who are stumbling at the word, being unbelieving, -- to which also they were set;

2:9 and ye [are] a choice race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired, that the excellences ye may shew forth of Him who out of darkness did call you to His wondrous light;

2:10 who [were] once not a people, and [are] now the people of God; who had not found kindness, and now have found kindness.

2:11 Beloved, I call upon [you], as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul,

2:12 having your behaviour among the nations right, that in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, of the good works having beheld, they may glorify God in a day of inspection.

2:13 Be subject, then, to every human creation, because of the Lord, whether to a king, as the highest,

2:14 whether to governors, as to those sent through him, for punishment, indeed, of evil-doers, and a praise of those doing good;

2:15 because, so is the will of God, doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men;

2:16 as free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God;

2:17 to all give ye honour; the brotherhood love ye; God fear ye; the king honour ye.

2:18 The domestics! be subjecting yourselves in all fear to the masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the cross;

2:19 for this [is] gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously;

2:20 for what renown [is it], if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure [it]? but if, doing good and suffering [for it], ye do endure, this [is] gracious with God,

2:21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps,

2:22 who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth,

2:23 who being reviled -- was not reviling again, suffering -- was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously,

2:24 who our sins himself did bear in his body, upon the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; by whose stripes ye were healed,