1Therefore, cease ye from all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envy, and backbiting. 2And be like infant children; and crave the word, as being the pure spiritual milk by which ye are nourished up to life; 3if ye have tasted and seen that the Lord is good: 4to whom ye have come, because he is a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but with God elect and precious. 5And ye also, as living stones, are builded and become spiritual temples, and holy priests, for the offering of spiritual sacrifices, acceptable before God, through Jesus the Messiah. 6For it is said in the scripture, Behold, in Zion I lay a chosen and precious stone, for the head of the corner; and whoever believeth in him, will not be ashamed. 7On you therefore who believe, is this honor conferred: but to them who believe not, 8he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence. And they stumble at it, because they believe not the word: whereto they were appointed. 9But ye are an elect race, officiating as priests of the kingdom; a holy people, a redeemed congregation; that ye should proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness to his precious light: 10who formerly were not accounted a people, but now are the people of God; and also, there were once no mercies on you, but now mercies are poured out upon you. 11My beloved, I entreat you as strangers and pilgrims, separate yourselves from all lusts of the body; for they war against the soul. 12And let your behavior be decorous before all men; so that they who utter evil speeches against you, may see your good actions, and may praise God in the day of trial. 13And be ye submissive to all the sons of men, for God's sake; to kings, on account of their authority; 14and to judges, because they are sent by him for the punishment of offenders, and for the praise of them that do well. 15For so is the pleasure of God, that by your good deeds ye may stop the mouth of the foolish, who know not God: 16as free men, yet not like men who make their freedom a cloak for their wickedness, but as the servants of God. 17Honor all men; love your brethren; fear God; and honor kings. 18And those among you who are servants, be subject to your masters, with reverence; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh and morose. 19For there is favor before God for them who, for the sake of a good conscience, endure sorrows that come upon them wrongfully. 20But they who endure afflictions on account of their offences, what praise have they? But if, when ye do well, they vex you, and ye endure it; then great is your praise with God. 21For unto this were ye called; because the Messiah also died for us, and left us this pattern, that ye should walk in his steps. 22He did no sin; neither was guile found in his mouth. 23When he was reviled, be reviled not; and he suffered and threatened not, but committed his cause to the Judge of righteousness. 24And he took away all our sins, and, in his body, lifted them to the cross; that we, when dead to sin, might live by his righteousness: for by his wounds, ye are healed. 25For ye, once went astray, like sheep; but ye have now returned to the Shepherd and Curator of your souls.