The First Epistle General of Peter

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- Chapter 2 -

(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)

Therefore, set aside all malice and all deceitfulness, as well as falseness and envy and every detraction.

Like newborn infants, desire the milk of reasonableness without guile, so that by this you may increase unto salvation,

if it is true that you have tasted that the Lord is sweet.

And approaching him as if he were a living stone, rejected by men, certainly, but elect and honored by God,

be also yourselves like living stones, built upon him, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, so as to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(a)

Because of this, Scripture asserts: “Behold, I am setting in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious. And whoever will have believed in him will not be confounded.”

Therefore, to you who believe, he is honor. But to those who do not believe, the stone which the builders have rejected, the same has been made into the head of the corner,

and a stone of offense, and a rock of scandal, to those who are offended by the Word; neither do they believe, though they also have been built upon him.(b)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, so that you may announce the virtues of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Though in past times you were not a people, yet now you are the people of God. Though you had not obtained mercy, yet now you have obtained mercy.

Most beloved, I beg you, as new arrivals and sojourners, to abstain from carnal desires, which battle against the soul.

Keep your behavior among the Gentiles to what is good, so that, when they slander you as if you were evildoers, they may, by the good works that are seen in you, glorify God on the day of visitation.

Submission to Authorities

(Romans 13:1–7)

Therefore, be subject to every human creature because of God, whether it is to the king as preeminent,

or to leaders as having been sent from him for vindication over evildoers, it is truly for the praise of what is good.

For such is the will of God, that by doing good you may bring about the silence of imprudent and ignorant men,

in an open manner, and not as if cloaking malice with liberty, but like servants of God.

Honor everyone. Love brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and meek, but also to the unruly.

For this is grace: when, because of God, a man willingly endures sorrows, suffering injustice.

For what glory is there, if you sin and then suffer a beating? But if you do well and suffer patiently, this is grace with God.

Christ’s Example of Suffering

(Isaiah 53:1–8)

For you have been called to this because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in his footsteps.

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

And when evil was spoken against him, he did not speak evil. When he suffered, he did not threaten. Then he handed himself over to him who judged him unjustly.

He himself bore our sins in his body upon the tree, so that we, having died to sin, would live for justice. By his wounds, you have been healed.

For you were like wandering sheep. But now you have been turned back toward the Pastor and the Bishop of your souls.

Footnotes

(a)2:5 The word ‘superædificamini’ is difficult to render exactly in English; it has the sense of building upon something else, i.e. Christ as the cornerstone, or of building up again and again.(Conte)

(b)2:8 The last part of the verse refers to those Jews who do not believe in Christ even though they also have been built upon him (since Christ is hidden throughout the Old Testament). They also are meant to be living stones placed upon the living Word of God, but they refuse to believe.(Conte)

(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)

Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,

as newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, that with it you may grow,

if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold,(a) I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”(b)

For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”(c)

and, “a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.”(d) For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation.

Submission to Authorities

(Romans 13:1–7)

Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme,

or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well.

For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Live as free people, yet not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.

For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.

For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.

Christ’s Example of Suffering

(Isaiah 53:1–8)

For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you

(e)

an example, that you should follow his steps,

who didn’t sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”(f)

When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness. You were healed by his wounds.(g)

For you were going astray like sheep; but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer

(h)

of your souls.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה” or “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(b)2:6 ℘ Isaiah 28:16

(d)2:8 ℘ Isaiah 8:14

(e)2:21 TR reads “us” instead of “you”

(f)2:22 ℘ Isaiah 53:9

(g)2:24 or, stripes

(h)2:25 “Overseer” is from the Greek ἐπίσκοπον, which can mean overseer, curator, guardian, or superintendent.