Chapter 2

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

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

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

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

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  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.  

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  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;'  

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  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,  

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

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  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;  

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

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

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  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.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  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,  

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

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

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

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  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,  

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  for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.  

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