1 Peter 2:4-25

4And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been 1rejected by people, 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 spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For this is contained in 8Scripture: “9Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a 10precious cornerstone, And the one who believes in 11Him will not be 12put to shame.” 713This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers, “14A stone which the builders 15rejected, This became the 16chief cornerstone,” 8and, “17A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; 18for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, 19and to this they were also appointed.

9But you are 20a chosen people, a royal 21priesthood, a 22holy nation, 23a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you 24out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1025for 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.

1126Beloved, 27I urge you as 28foreigners and strangers to abstain from 29fleshly lusts, which wage 30war against the soul. 1231Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they 32slander you as evildoers, they may 33because of your good deeds, as they observe them, 34glorify God 35on the day of 36visitation.

1337Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent 38by him 39for the punishment of evildoers and the 40praise of those who do right. 15For 4142such is the will of God, that by doing right you 43silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16Act as 44free people, and 45do not use your freedom as a 46covering for evil, but use it as 47bond-servants of God. 1748Honor all people, 49love the brotherhood, 50fear God, 51honor the 52king.

1853Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and 54gentle, but also to those who are 55harsh. 19For this finds favor, if for the sake of 56conscience toward God a person endures 57grief when suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if 58when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21For 59you have been called for this purpose, 60because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you 61an example, so that you would follow in His steps, 22He who 62committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 2363and while being 64abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself 6566brought our sins in His body up on the 6768cross, so that we 69might die to 70sin and live for righteousness; 71by His 72wounds you were 73healed. 25For you were 74continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the 75Shepherd and 76Guardian of your souls.