The First Epistle General of Peter

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”(a)

To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”(b)

and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”(c) They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.(d)

Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

Submission to Authorities

(Romans 13:1–7)

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,

or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers,(e) fear God, honor the king.

Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect,(f) not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable.

For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended.

How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

Christ’s Example of Suffering

(Isaiah 53:1–8)

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”(g)

When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

He Himself bore our sins (h) in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”(i)

For “you were like sheep going astray,”(j) but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 Isaiah 28:16 (see also LXX)

(b)2:7 Psalms 118:22

(d)2:10 Hosea 2:23

(e)2:17 Literally Love the brotherhood

(f)2:18 Or in all fear

(g)2:22 Isaiah 53:9

(h)2:24 Isaiah 53:4 (see also LXX)

(i)2:24 Isaiah 53:5

(j)2:25 Isaiah 53:6

(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)

Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

as newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, that with it you may grow,

if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

You also as living stones are built up as 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,(a) I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”(b)

For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”(c)

and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.”(d) For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation.

Submission to Authorities

(Romans 13:1–7)

Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme,

or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.

For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Live as free people, yet 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 respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.

For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.

For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.

Christ’s Example of Suffering

(Isaiah 53:1–8)

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you

(e)

an example, that you should follow his steps,

who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”(f)

When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.(g)

For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer

(h)

of your souls.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה” or “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(b)2:6 ℘ Isaiah 28:16

(d)2:8 ℘ Isaiah 8:14

(e)2:21 TR reads “us” instead of “you”

(f)2:22 ℘ Isaiah 53:9

(g)2:24 or, stripes

(h)2:25 “Overseer” is from the Greek ἐπίσκοπον, which can mean overseer, curator, guardian, or superintendent.