Living Stones, a Chosen People
Believers are called living stones built into a house around a stone the builders rejected — a priesthood, a people belonging to our Father who once were not a people. Then hard advice for exiles: live well enough that slander fails, submit, and endure unjust suffering as Christ did.
2 1So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure milk of the word, so you grow into salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. a a v3 Peter takes the psalm's words "taste and see that the Lord is good" and applies them to Jesus — the One readers have come to and found good. 4As you come to him, the living stone rejected by people but chosen, precious to our Father. 5You too are being built, like living stones, into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices our Father accepts through Jesus Christ.
6Scripture says: "See, I set in Zion a chosen, precious cornerstone; whoever believes in him will never be put to shame."
7This honor, then, is for you who believe. For those who don't, the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,
8and a stumbling stone, a rock that trips them. They trip because they disobey the word—exactly what they were appointed for.
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to our Father, to proclaim the praises of the one who called you from darkness into his amazing light. 10Once you were not a people, now you are our Father's people; once you had not received mercy, now you have received mercy. b b v10 Peter draws on Hosea: those who were once "not a people" are now claimed as our Father's own — the outsider brought home and shown mercy.
11Dear friends, I urge you—foreigners and exiles—to avoid fleshly desires that war against your soul. 12Live good lives among the nations, so that when they slander you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify our Father on the day he visits us.
13Submit to every human authority for the Lord's sake—whether the emperor, as supreme, 14or to governors, sent by the emperor to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good. 15For this is our Father's will: that by doing good you silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16Live as free people—not using freedom to cover evil—but as servants of our Father. 17Respect everyone, love the family of believers, fear our Father, honor the emperor.
18Servants, submit to your masters with full respect—not only the good and gentle, but also the harsh. 19For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering, mindful of our Father. 20What credit is it to endure a beating for doing wrong? But enduring suffering for doing good—this is commendable before our Father.
21You were called to this, since Christ suffered for you too, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. 22"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats, but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. c c v24 'The tree' means the cross — Peter echoes the Old Testament picture of bearing a curse by hanging on wood (Deuteronomy 21:23). 25For you were straying like sheep, but now have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
