2:1 Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander;
2:2 like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation,
2:3 for you have tasted that the Lord is good.
2:4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the sight of God,
2:5 and, like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
2:6 For it says in scripture: "Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame."
2:7 Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and
2:8 "A stone that will make people stumble, and a rock that will make them fall." They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.
2:9 But you are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises" of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
2:10 Once you were "no people" but now you are God’s people; you "had not received mercy" but now you have received mercy.
2:11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and sojourners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against the soul.
2:12 Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that if they speak of you as evildoers, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation.
2:13 Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme
2:14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the approval of those who do good.
2:15 For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish people.
2:16 Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God.
2:17 Give honor to all, love the community, fear God, honor the king.
2:18 Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable but also to those who are perverse.
2:19 For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering because of consciousness of God, that is a grace.
2:20 But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God.
2:21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
2:22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
2:23 When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.
2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
2:25 For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.