1Choncho, lekani zoyipa zonse, chinyengo chilichonse, chiphamaso, nsanje ndi kusinjirira kulikonse. 2Monga makanda obadwa kumene amalirira mkaka, inunso muzilakalaka mkaka weniweni wauzimu, kuti mukule ndi kukufikitsani ku chipulumutso chanu, 3pakuti tsopano mwalawadi kuti Ambuye ndi wabwino.
Mwala wa Moyo ndi Anthu Osankhidwa
4Pamene mukubwera kwa Iye, amene ndi Mwala wa moyo, umene anthu anawukana, koma Mulungu anawusankha kuti ndi wa mtengowapatali, 5inunso, mukhale ngati miyala ya moyo yoti Mulungu amangire nyumba yake yauzimu kuti mukhale ansembe opatulika, opereka nsembe zauzimu zovomerezeka ndi Mulungu mwa Yesu Khristu. 6Pakuti mʼMalemba mwalembedwa kuti,
“Taonani, ndikuyika mwala wa maziko mu Ziyoni,
wosankhika ndi wamtengowapatali.
Amene akhulupirira Iye
sadzachititsidwa manyazi.”
7Tsono kwa inu okhulupirira, mwalawo ndi wamtengowapatali. Koma kwa amene sakhulupirira,
“Mwala umene amisiri anawukana
wasanduka mwala wa maziko,
8ndi
“Mwala wopunthwitsa anthu
ndiponso thanthwe limene limagwetsa anthu.”
Iwo amapunthwa chifukwa samvera uthenga, pakuti ichi ndiye chinali chifuniro cha Mulungu pa iwo.
9Koma inu ndinu anthu osankhidwa ndi Mulungu, ansembe achifumu, mtundu woyera mtima, anthu ake enieni a Mulungu, munasankhidwa kuti mulalikire za ntchito zamphamvu za Iye amene anakuyitanani kuti mutuluke mu mdima ndi kulowa mʼkuwunika kwake kodabwitsa. 10Kale simunali anthu ake, koma tsopano ndinu anthu a Mulungu. Kale simunalandire chifundo, koma tsopano mwalandira chifundo.
11Okondedwa, ndikukupemphani, ngati alendo pansi pano, pewani zilakolako za uchimo, zimene zimachita nkhondo ndi moyo wanu. 12Khalani moyo wabwino pakati pa anthu osapembedza kuti ngakhale atakusinjirirani kuti mumachita zoyipa, iwowo akaona ntchito zanu zabwino, adzalemekeza Mulungu pa tsiku lomwe Iye adzatiyendere.
Kugonjera Olamulira
13Gonjerani maulamuliro onse chifukwa cha Ambuye. Kaya ndi mfumu, imvereni chifukwa ili ndi ulamuliro waukulu, 14kaya ndi mabwanamkubwa, pakuti watumidwa ndi mfumu kuti alange onse amene amachita zoyipa ndi kuyamikira onse amene amachita zabwino. 15Pakuti Mulungu akufuna kuti pochita ntchito zabwino muthetse kuyankhula mosazindikira ndi mopusa. 16Mukhale monga mfulu, koma musagwiritse ntchito ufulu wanuwo ngati chophimbira zoyipa; mukhale monga atumiki a Mulungu. 17Chitirani ulemu aliyense, kondani abale okhulupirira, wopani Mulungu, ndipo chitirani mfumu ulemu.
Akapolo
18Inu akapolo, gonjerani ambuye anu ndi kuwachitira ulemu, osati kwa iwo okha amene ndi abwino ndi omvetsa zinthu, komanso kwa amene ndi ankhanza. 19Pakuti ndi chinthu chokoma ngati munthu apirira mu zowawa zimene sizinamuyenera chifukwa chodziwa kuti Mulungu alipo. 20Kodi pali choti akuyamikireni ngati mupirira pomenyedwa chifukwa choti mwalakwa? Koma ngati mumva zowawa chifukwa chochita zabwino ndi kupirira, mwachita choyamikika pamaso pa Mulungu. 21Munayitanidwa kudzachita zimenezi, chifukwa Khristu anamva zowawa chifukwa cha inu, anakusiyirani chitsanzo, kuti inu mutsatire mʼmapazi ake.
22“Iye sanachite tchimo
kapena kunena bodza.”
23Pamene anthu ankamuchita chipongwe, Iye sanabwezere chipongwe, pamene Iye ankamva zowawa, sanaopseze. Mʼmalo mwake, anadzipereka kwa Mulungu amene amaweruza molungama. 24Iye mwini anasenza machimo athu mʼthupi lake pa mtanda, kuti ife tife kutchimo ndi kukhala ndi moyo potsata chilungamo, ndipo ndi mabala ake munachiritsidwa. 25Pakuti munali monga nkhosa zosochera, koma tsopano mwabwerera kwa mʼbusa ndi woyangʼanira miyoyo yanu.
1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The living Stone and a chosen people
4As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For in Scripture it says:
‘See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.’2:6 Isaiah 28:16
7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,’2:7 Psalm 118:22
8and,
‘A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.’2:8 Isaiah 8:14
They stumble because they disobey the message – which is also what they were destined for.
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Living godly lives in a pagan society
11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor.
18Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22‘He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.’2:22 Isaiah 53:9
23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ 25For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’2:24,25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint) but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
