1 Peter 2:4-25

4And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been 1rejected by men, but is 2choice and precious in the sight of God, 53you also, as living stones, 4are being built up as a 5spiritual house for a holy 6priesthood, to 7offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For this is contained in 8Scripture: “9Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a 10precious corner stone, And he who believes in 11Him will not be 12disappointed.” 713This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “14The stone which the builders 15rejected, This became the very corner stone,” 8and, “16A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; 17for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, 18and to this doom they were also appointed.

9But you are 19a chosen race, a royal 20priesthood, a 21holy nation, 22a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you 23out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1024for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1125Beloved, 26I urge you as 27aliens and strangers to abstain from 28fleshly lusts which wage 29war against the soul. 1230Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they 31slander you as evildoers, they may 32because of your good deeds, as they observe them, 33glorify God 34in the day of 35visitation.

1336Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent 37by him 38for the punishment of evildoers and the 39praise of those who do right. 15For 4041such is the will of God that by doing right you may 42silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Act as 43free men, and 44do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as 45bondslaves of God. 1746Honor all people, 47love the brotherhood, 48fear God, 49honor the 50king.

1851Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and 52gentle, but also to those who are 53unreasonable. 19For this finds 54favor, if for the sake of 55conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if 56when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds 57favor with God. 21For 58you have been called for this purpose, 59since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you 60an example for you to follow in His steps, 22who 61committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 2362and while being 63reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself 6465bore our sins in His body on the 6667cross, so that we 68might die to 69sin and live to righteousness; for 70by His 71wounds you were 72healed. 25For you were 73continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the 74Shepherd and 75Guardian of your souls.