As Newborn Babes
1 Therefore, putting R81 aside all malice F23 and all deceit and hypocrisy F24 and envy F24 and all slander, R82 F24 2 like R83 newborn babies, long for the pure R84 F25 milk F26 of the word, so that by it you may grow R85 in F27 respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted R86 the R87 F28 kindness of the Lord. As Living Stones
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected R88 by men, but is choice F29 and precious in the sight of God, 5 you R89 also, as living stones, are F30 being built up as a spiritual R90 house for a holy priesthood, R91 to offer R92 up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: F31 "BEHOLD R93 , I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS R94 CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM F32 WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED F33 ." 7 This R95 precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE R96 STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED R97 , THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone," 8 and, "A R98 STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for R99 they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and R100 to this doom they were also appointed.
9 But you are A R101 CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD R102 , A HOLY R103 NATION, A R104 PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out R105 of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for R106 you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
11 Beloved, R107 I R108 urge you as aliens R109 and strangers to abstain from fleshly R110 lusts which wage war R111 against the soul. 12 Keep R112 your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander R113 you as evildoers, they may because F34 of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify R114 God in R115 the day of visitation. F35
Honor Authority
13 Submit R116 yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by F36 him for R117 the punishment of evildoers and the praise R118 of those who do right. 15 For such R119 F37 is the will of God that by doing right you may silence R120 the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free R121 men, and do F38 not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves R122 of God. 17 Honor R123 all people, love R124 the brotherhood, fear R125 God, honor R126 the king. F39
18 Servants, R127 be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, R128 but also to those who are unreasonable. F40 19 For this finds favor, F41 if for the sake of conscience R129 toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when R130 you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor F42 with God.
Christ Is Our Example
21 For you R131 have been called for this purpose, since R132 Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an R133 example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED R134 NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and F43 while being reviled, R135 He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore R136 F44 our sins in His body on the cross, R137 F45 so that we might R138 die to sin F46 and live to righteousness; for by R139 His wounds F47 you were healed. R140 25 For you were continually R141 straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd R142 and Guardian F48 of your souls. 
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