21 So putting away all wrongdoing, and all tricks and deceits and envies and evil talk, 2 Be full of desire for the true milk of the word, as babies at their mothers' breasts, so that you may go on to salvation; 3 If you have had a taste of the grace of the Lord:

Christ the Living Stone

4 To whom you come, as to a living stone, not honoured by men, but of great and special value to God; 5 You, as living stones, are being made into a house of the spirit, a holy order of priests, making those offerings of the spirit which are pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Because it is said in the Writings, See, I am placing a keystone in Zion, of great and special value; and the man who has faith in him will not be put to shame. 7 And the value is for you who have faith; but it is said for those without faith, The very stone which the builders put on one side, was made the chief stone of the building; 8 And, A stone of falling, a rock of trouble; the word is the cause of their fall, because they go against it, and this was the purpose of God.

God's Own People

9 But you are a special people, a holy nation, priests and kings, a people given up completely to God, so that you may make clear the virtues of him who took you out of the dark into the light of heaven. 10 In the past you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; then there was no mercy for you, but now mercy has been given to you.

Live as Servants of God

11 My loved ones, I make this request with all my heart, that, as those for whom this world is a strange country, you will keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh which make war against the soul; 12 Being of good behaviour among the Gentiles; so that though they say now that you are evil-doers, they may see your good works and give glory to God when he comes to be their judge.

13 Keep all the laws of men because of the Lord; those of the king, who is over all, 14 And those of the rulers who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of those who do well. 15 Because it is God's pleasure that foolish and narrow-minded men may be put to shame by your good behaviour: 16 As those who are free, not using your free position as a cover for wrongdoing, but living as the servants of God; 17 Have respect for all, loving the brothers, fearing God, honouring the king.

The Example of Christ's Suffering

18 Servants, take orders from your masters with all respect; not only if they are good and gentle, but even if they are bad-humoured. 19 For it is a sign of grace if a man, desiring to do right in the eyes of God, undergoes pain as punishment for something which he has not done. 20 What credit is it if, when you have done evil, you take your punishment quietly? but if you are given punishment for doing right, and take it quietly, this is pleasing to God. 21 This is God's purpose for you: because Jesus himself underwent punishment for you, giving you an example, so that you might go in his footsteps: 22 Who did no evil, and there was no deceit in his mouth: 23 To sharp words he gave no sharp answer; when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips; but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness: 24 He took our sins on himself, giving his body to be nailed on the tree, so that we, being dead to sin, might have a new life in righteousness, and by his wounds we have been made well. 25 Because, like sheep, you had gone out of the way; but now you have come back to him who keeps watch over your souls.

The Behavior of Wives and Husbands

31 Wives, be ruled by your husbands; so that even if some of them give no attention to the word, their hearts may be changed by the behaviour of their wives, 2 When they see your holy behaviour in the fear of God. 3 Do not let your ornaments be those of the body such as dressing of the hair, or putting on of jewels of gold or fair clothing; 4 But let them be those of the unseen man of the heart, the ever-shining ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the eyes of God. 5 And these were the ornaments of the holy women of the past, whose hope was in God, being ruled by their husbands: 6 As Sarah was ruled by Abraham, naming him lord; whose children you are if you do well, and are not put in fear by any danger. 7 And you husbands, give thought to your way of life with your wives, giving honour to the woman who is the feebler vessel, but who has an equal part in the heritage of the grace of life; so that you may not be kept from prayer.

Suffer for Righteousness' Sake

8 Last of all, see that you are all in agreement; feeling for one another, loving one another like brothers, full of pity, without pride: 9 Not giving back evil for evil, or curse for curse, but in place of cursing, blessing; because this is the purpose of God for you that you may have a heritage of blessing. 10 For it is said, Let the man who has a love of life, desiring to see good days, keep his tongue from evil and his lips from words of deceit: 11 And let him be turned from evil and do good; searching for peace and going after it with all his heart. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the upright, and his ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 13 Who will do you any damage if you keep your minds fixed on what is good? 14 But you are happy if you undergo pain because of righteousness; have no part in their fear and do not be troubled; 15 But give honour to Christ in your hearts as your Lord; and be ready at any time when you are questioned about the hope which is in you, to give an answer in the fear of the Lord and without pride;

16 Being conscious that you have done no wrong; so that those who say evil things about your good way of life as Christians may be put to shame. 17 Because if it is God's purpose for you to undergo pain, it is better to do so for well-doing than for evil-doing.

18 Because Christ once went through pain for sins, the upright one taking the place of sinners, so that through him we might come back to God; being put to death in the flesh, but given life in the Spirit; 19 By whom he went to the spirits in prison, preaching to those 20 Who, in the days of Noah, went against God's orders; but God in his mercy kept back the punishment, while Noah got ready the ark, in which a small number, that is to say eight persons, got salvation through water:

21 And baptism, of which this is an image, now gives you salvation, not by washing clean the flesh, but by making you free from the sense of sin before God, through the coming again of Jesus Christ from the dead; 22 Who has gone into heaven, and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been put under his rule.