| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. | 1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. |
| 2And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation, | 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, |
| 3if you have experienced the Lord's kindness. | 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. |
| 4So as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and priceless in God's sight, | 4As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him-- |
| 5you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. | 5you 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. |
| 6For it says in scripture, "Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, and whoever believes in him will never be put to shame." | 6For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." |
| 7So you who believe see his value, but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, | 7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," |
| 8and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. | 8and, "A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for. |
| 9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. |
| 10You once were not a people, but now you are God's people. You were shown no mercy, but now you have received mercy. | 10Once 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. |
| 11Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, | 11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. |
| 12and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. | 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. |
| 13Be subject to every human institution for the Lord's sake, whether to a king as supreme | 13Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, |
| 14or to governors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good. | 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. |
| 15For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. | 15For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. |
| 16Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God's slaves. | 16Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves. |
| 17Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king. | 17Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. |
| 18Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse. | 18Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. |
| 19For this finds God's favor, if because of conscience toward God someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly. | 19For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. |
| 20For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God. | 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. |
| 21For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. | 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. |
| 22He committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth. | 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." |
| 23When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly. | 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. |
| 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning and live for righteousness. By his wounds you were healed. | 24"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." |
| 25For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. | 25For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. |
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