1Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2as newborn babies, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that you{+} may grow by it to salvation; 3if you{+} have tasted that the Lord is gracious: 4to whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, 5you{+} also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6Because it is contained in Scripture, Look, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he who believes on him will not be put to shame. 7For you{+} therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; 8and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: to which also they were appointed. 9But you{+} are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that you{+} may show forth the excellencies of him who called you{+} out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11Beloved, I urge you{+} as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly desires, which war against the soul; 12having your{+} behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, in what they speak against you{+} as evildoers, they may by your{+} good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme; 14or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evildoers and for praise to those who do well. 15For so is the will of God, that by doing good you{+} should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16as free, and not using your{+} freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as slaves of God. 17Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 18Household slaves, [be] in subjection to your{+} masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endures griefs, suffering wrongfully. 20For what glory is it, if, when you{+} sin, and are buffeted [for it], you{+} will take it patiently? But if, when you{+} do good, and suffer [for it], you{+} will take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21For hereunto were you{+} called: because Christ also suffered for you{+}, leaving you{+} an example, that you{+} should follow his steps: 22who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered did not threaten; but delivered [himself] to him who judges righteously: 24who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you{+} were healed. 25For you{+} were like sheep that go astray; but have now been returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your{+} souls.