¹ Putting away, therefore, all vice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envyings and all detractions,

² As new-born babes, for the pure milk that is for the mind, eagerly crave, that, thereby, ye may grow unto salvation:—

³ If ye have tasted for yourselves that, gracious, is the Lord,—

⁴ Unto whom coming near, as unto a living stone—by men, indeed, rejected, but, with God, chosen, held in honour,

⁵ Yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, well-pleasing unto God through Jesus Christ;

⁶ Inasmuch as it is contained in scripture—Lo! I lay in Zion an outmost corner stone, chosen, held in honour, and, he that resteth faith thereupon, shall not be put to shame.

⁷ Unto you, then, is the honour—[unto you] who believe; but, unto such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected,—The same, hath become head of the corner,

⁸ And a stone to strike against, and a rock to stumble over: Who stumble because, unto the word, they do not yield,—unto which also they have been appointed;

⁹ But, ye, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a peculiar treasure, that, the excellences, ye may tell forth, of him who, out of darkness, hath called you into his marvellous light:—

¹⁰ Who, at one time, were a No-people, but, now, are a people of God,—who had not been enjoying mercy, but, now, have received mercy.

¹¹ Beloved! I exhort you, as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly covetings, such as take the field against the soul;

¹² Having, your behaviour among the nations, honourable,—in order that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, owing to the honourable works they are permitted to behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

¹³ Submit yourselves unto every human creation, for the Lord’s sake,—whether unto a king, as one that protecteth,

¹⁴ Or unto governors, as, through him, sent—for vengeance on evil-doers, but praise to such as do good;

¹⁵ Because, so, is the will of God,—by doing good, to be putting to silence, the ignorance of heedless men:

¹⁶ As free, yet, not as a cloak of vice, holding your freedom, but, as God’s servants.

¹⁷ Unto all men, give honour, unto the brotherhood, shew love, unto God, give reverence, the king, hold in honour.

¹⁸ Ye domestics, submitting yourselves, in all reverence, unto your masters,—not only unto the good and considerate, but also unto the perverse;

¹⁹ For, this, is thankworthy,—If, for the sake of conscience towards God, one beareth griefs, suffering wrongfully,—

²⁰ For what sort of honour is it—if, committing sin, and being buffeted, ye endure it? But, if, doing good, and suffering, ye endure it, this, is thankworthy with God.

²¹ For, hereunto, have ye been called; because, Christ also, suffered in your behalf, unto you, leaving behind a pattern, that ye might follow in his steps:

²² Who did not, a sin, commit, neither was deceit found in his mouth,—

²³ Who, being reviled, was not reviling again, suffering, he was not threatening, but was making surrender unto him that judgeth righteously,—

²⁴ Who, our sins, himself, bare up, in his body, unto the tree, in order that we, from our sins getting away, in righteousness, might live,—by whose stripes, ye have been healed;

²⁵ For ye were as sheep going astray, but have now turned back unto the shepherd and overseer of your souls.