1Wherefore lay a side all maliciousness, and all guile, and dissimulation, and envy, and all backbiting: 2and as new born babes, desire that reasonable milk which is without corruption, that ye may be grown therin. 3If so be that ye have tasted how pleasant the Lord is,

4to whom ye come as unto a living stone disallowed of men, but elect of God and precious: 5and ye as living stones, are made a spiritual house, and an holy priesthood, for to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Iesus Christ.

6Wherefore it is contained in the scripture: behold, I put in Sion an head corner stone, elect and precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

7Unto you therefore which believe is he precious: but unto them which believe not the same stone which the builders refused, is made the head stone in the corner,

8and a stone to stumble at, and a rock to offend them which stumble at the word, and believe not that where on they were set.

9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people, that ye should shew the vertues of him that called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, 10which in time past were not a people, yet are now the people of God, which were not under mercy: but now have obtained mercy.

11Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers, and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul, 12and see that ye have honest conversation among the gentiles, that they which backbite you as evil doers, may see your good works and praise God in the day of visitation.

13Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto the King as unto the chief head: 14other unto rulers, as unto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers: but for the laud of them that well do. 15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye should stop the mouths of ignorant men: 16as free, and not as though ye took liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: but even as the servants of God. 17See that ye honour all men. Love brotherly fellowship, fear God, honour the king.

18Servants obey your masters with all fear, not only if they be good and courteous: but also though they be froward. 19For it commeth of grace, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20For what praise is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye take it patiently? But and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it patiently, then is there thanke with God.

21Hereunto verily were ye called, for Christ also suffered for our sakes: leaving us an ensample that ye should follow his steps, 22which did no sin, neither was there guile found in his mouth: 23which when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but committed the cause to him that judgeth righteously, 24which his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we should be delivered from sin and should live in righteousness. By whose stripes ye were healed. 25For ye were as sheep which go astray: but are now returned unto the shepherd, and bishop of your souls.