2:1 Having put aside, then, all evil, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envyings, and all evil speakings, 2:2 as new-born babes the word's pure milk desire ye, that in it ye may grow, 2:3 if so be ye did taste that the Lord [is] gracious,  2:4 to whom coming--a living stone--by men, indeed, having been disapproved of, but with God choice, precious, 2:5 and ye yourselves, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 2:6 Wherefore, also, it is contained in the Writing: `Lo, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, choice, precious, and he who is believing on him may not be put to shame;' 2:7 to you, then, who are believing [is] the preciousness; and to the unbelieving, a stone that the builders disapproved of, this one did become for the head of a corner, 2:8 and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence--who are stumbling at the word, being unbelieving, --to which also they were set; 2:9 and ye [are] a choice race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired, that the excellences ye may shew forth of Him who out of darkness did call you to His wondrous light; 2:10 who [were] once not a people, and [are] now the people of God; who had not found kindness, and now have found kindness. 2:11 Beloved, I call upon [you] , as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul, 2:12 having your behaviour among the nations right, that in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, of the good works having beheld, they may glorify God in a day of inspection.  2:13 Be subject, then, to every human creation, because of the Lord, whether to a king, as the highest, 2:14 whether to governors, as to those sent through him, for punishment, indeed, of evil-doers, and a praise of those doing good; 2:15 because, so is the will of God, doing good, to put to silence the ignorance of the foolish men; 2:16 as free, and not having the freedom as the cloak of the evil, but as servants of God; 2:17 to all give ye honour; the brotherhood love ye; God fear ye; the king honour ye. 2:18 The domestics! be subjecting yourselves in all fear to the masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the cross; 2:19 for this [is] gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously; 2:20 for what renown [is it] , if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure [it] but if, doing good and suffering [for it] , ye do endure, this [is] gracious with God, 2:21 for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, 2:22 who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, 2:23 who being reviled--was not reviling again, suffering--was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously, 2:24 who our sins himself did bear in his body, upon the tree, that to the sins having died, to the righteousness we may live; by whose stripes ye were healed, 2:25 for ye were as sheep going astray, but ye turned back now to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.