1So get rid of every kind of evil, and stop telling lies. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Stop wanting what others have, and don’t speak against one another. 2Like newborn babies, you should long for the pure milk of God’s word. It will help you grow up as believers. 3You can do this now that you have tasted how good the Lord is.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4Christ is the living Stone. People did not accept him, but God chose him. God places the highest value on him. 5You also are like living stones. As you come to Christ, you are being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests. You will offer spiritual sacrifices. God will accept them because of what Jesus Christ has done. 6In Scripture it says,
“Look! I am placing a stone in Zion.
It is a chosen and very valuable stone.
It is the most important stone in the building.
The one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16)
7This stone is very valuable to you who believe. But to people who do not believe,
“The stone the builders did not accept
has become the most important stone of all.” (Psalm 118:22)
8And,
“It is a stone that causes people to trip.
It is a rock that makes them fall.” (Isaiah 8:14)
They trip and fall because they do not obey the message. That is also what God planned for them.
9But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are God’s special treasure. You are all these things so that you can give him praise. God brought 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 Among People Who Don’t Believe
11Dear friends, you are outsiders and those who wander in this world. So I’m asking you not to give in to your sinful desires. They fight against your soul. 12People who don’t believe might say you are doing wrong. But lead good lives among them. Then they will see your good deeds. And they will give glory to God on the day he comes to judge.
13Follow the lead of every human authority. Do this for the Lord’s sake. Obey the emperor. He is the highest authority. 14Obey the governors. The emperor sends them to punish those who do wrong. He also sends them to praise those who do right. 15By doing good you will put a stop to the talk of foolish people. They don’t know what they are saying. 16Live as free people. But don’t use your freedom to cover up evil. Live as people who are God’s slaves. 17Show proper respect to everyone. Love the family of believers. Have respect for God. Honor the emperor.
18Slaves, obey your masters out of deep respect for God. Obey not only those who are good and kind. Obey also those who are not kind. 19Suppose a person suffers pain unfairly because they want to obey God. This is worthy of praise. 20But suppose you receive a beating for doing wrong, and you put up with it. Will anyone honor you for this? Of course not. But suppose you suffer for doing good, and you put up with it. God will praise you for this. 21You were chosen to do good even if you suffer. That’s because Christ suffered for you. He left you an example that he expects you to follow. 22Scripture says,
“He didn’t commit any sin.
No lies ever came out of his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)
23People shouted at him and made fun of him. But he didn’t do the same thing back to them. When he suffered, he didn’t say he would make them suffer. Instead, he trusted in the God who judges fairly. 24“He himself carried our sins” in his body on the cross. (Isaiah 53:5) He did it so that we would die as far as sins are concerned. Then we would lead godly lives. “His wounds have healed you.” (Isaiah 53:5) 25“You were like sheep wandering away.” (Isaiah 53:6) But now you have returned to the Shepherd. He is the one who watches over your souls.
渴慕灵奶
1因此，你们既然已经除去一切恶毒、欺诈、虚伪、嫉妒和毁谤， 2就要像初生的婴儿一样渴慕纯净的灵奶，好不断成长，直到完全得救。 3因为你们尝过主恩的滋味是何等甘美。
灵宫活石
4主是活石，虽然被人弃绝，却被上帝拣选、视为宝贵。 5你们也如同活石，被用来建造属灵的宫殿，好做圣洁的祭司，借着耶稣基督献上蒙上帝悦纳的灵祭。 6因为圣经上说：
“看啊，我在锡安放了一块蒙拣选的宝贵房角石，
信靠祂的人必不会蒙羞。”
7所以，对你们信的人而言，这石头是宝贵的；但对那些不信的人来说，却是：
“工匠丢弃的石头，
已成了房角石。”
8也是：
“绊脚石和使人跌倒的磐石。”
他们跌倒是因为他们不顺服真道，这种下场早已注定了。
9但你们是蒙拣选的族群，是君尊的祭司，是圣洁的国度，是上帝的子民，因此你们可以宣扬上帝的美德。祂曾呼召你们离开黑暗，进入祂奇妙的光明。 10从前你们不是上帝的子民，现在却做了祂的子民；从前你们未蒙怜悯，现在却蒙了怜悯。
上帝的仆人
11亲爱的弟兄姊妹，你们是客旅，是寄居的，我劝你们要禁戒与灵魂为敌的邪情私欲。 12你们在异教徒当中要品行端正。这样，尽管他们毁谤你们是作恶的人，但看见你们的好行为，也会在主来的日子把荣耀归给上帝。
13为主的缘故，你们要服从人间的一切权柄，不管是居首位的君王， 14还是被君王派来赏善罚恶的官员。 15因为上帝的旨意是要你们行善，使那些愚昧无知的人哑口无言。 16你们是自由的人，不要以自由为借口去犯罪作恶，要做上帝的奴仆。 17要尊重所有的人，爱主内的弟兄姊妹，敬畏上帝，尊敬君王。
受苦的榜样
18你们做奴仆的，要存敬畏的心顺服主人，不但顺服那良善温和的，也要顺服那凶暴的。 19因为人若为了让良心对得起上帝而忍受冤屈之苦，就会得到恩福。 20如果你们犯罪受责打，能够忍受得住，有什么功劳呢？但如果你们因行善而受苦，还能忍受，就是上帝所喜悦的。
21你们蒙召也是为此，因为基督也为你们受过苦，给你们留下榜样，叫你们可以追随祂的脚步。 22祂没有犯罪，口中也没有诡诈。 23祂被辱骂也不还口，被迫害也不扬言报复，只把自己交托给按公义施行审判的上帝。 24祂被钉在十字架上，亲身担当了我们的罪，使我们向着罪死了，可以过公义的生活。因祂所受的鞭伤，你们得到了医治。 25从前你们好像是迷路的羊，现在却归向了你们灵魂的牧人和监护者。
