Chapter 2

  Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,  

-

  as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;  

-

  if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:  

-

  unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,  

-

  ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  

-

  Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.  

-

  For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;  

-

  and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.  

-

  But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:  

-

  who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.  

-

  Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul;  

-

  having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.  

-

  Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;  

-

  or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well.  

-

  For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:  

-

  as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.  

-

  Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.  

-

  Servants, [be] in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.  

-

  For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully.  

-

  For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it], ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  

-

  For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:  

-

  who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:  

-

  who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously:  

-

  who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.  

-

  For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.  

-