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.
1Saboda haka, ku rabu da kowace ƙeta da dukan ruɗu, munafunci, kishi, da kuma kowace irin ɓata suna. 2Kamar sababbin jarirai, ku yi marmarin madara zalla ta ruhaniya, domin ta wurinta za ku yi girma cikin cetonku, 3yanzu da kuka ɗanɗana alherin Ubangiji.
Dutse mai rai da kuma zaɓaɓɓun mutane
4Da kuka zo gare shi, rayayyen Dutse, da mutane suka ƙi amma Allah ya zaɓa, kuma mai daraja a gare shi 5ku ma, a matsayinku na duwatsu masu rai, ana gina ku ga zama gidan ruhaniya don ku zama tsattsarkar ƙungiyar firistoci, kuna miƙa hadayun ruhaniya, abin karɓa ga Allah ta wurin Yesu Kiristi. 6Gama a cikin Nassi an ce,
“Ga shi, na kafa dutse a Sihiyona,
zaɓaɓɓen dutse na kusurwar gini mai daraja,
wanda kuma ya dogara gare shi
ba zai taɓa kunyata ba.”2.6 Ish 28.16
7A gare ku da kuka gaskata, wannan dutse mai daraja ne. Amma ga waɗanda ba su gaskata ba,
“Dutsen da magina suka ƙi
ya zama dutsen kusurwar gini,2.7 Zab 118.22
8kuma,
“Dutse ne da yake sa mutane tuntuɓe
kuma fā ne da yake sa su fāɗi.”2.8 Ish 8.14
Sun yi tuntuɓe domin sun ƙi su yi biyayya da saƙon, wanda kuma yake abin da aka ƙaddara musu.
9Amma ku zaɓaɓɓu ne, ƙungiyar firistocin babban Sarki, al’umma mai tsarki, jama’a mallakar Allah, domin ku shaida yabon shi wanda ya kira ku daga cikin duhu zuwa haskensa mai banmamaki. 10Dā ku ba mutane ba ne, amma yanzu ku mutanen Allah ne; Dā ba ku karɓi jinƙai ba, amma yanzu kun karɓi jinƙai.
11Abokaina ƙaunatattu, ina roƙonku, a matsayin bare da kuma baƙi a duniya, ku rabu da sha’awace-sha’awacen zunubin da suke yaƙi da ranku. 12Ku yi irin rayuwa mai kyau a cikin masu bautar gumaka, yadda ko da sun zarge ku da yin laifi, za su iya ganin ayyukanku nagari, su ɗaukaka Allah a ranar da zai ziyarce mu.
Biyayya ga masu mulki da iyayengiji
13Saboda Ubangiji, ku yi biyayya ga kowace hukumar da aka kafa cikin mutane, ko ga sarki, a matsayi wanda ya fi iko, 14ko ga gwamnoni, waɗanda ya aika domin su hukunta masu laifi su kuma yabi masu aikata abin da yake daidai. 15Gama nufin Allah ne cewa ta wurin yin nagarta za ku toshe jahilcin marasa azanci. 16Ku yi rayuwa kamar mutanen da aka ’yantar, sai dai kada ku yi amfani da ’yancinku a matsayin hujjar aikata mugunta; ku yi rayuwa kamar bayin Allah. 17Ku nuna ladabin da ya dace ga kowa. Ku ƙaunaci ’yan’uwantakar masu bi, ku ji tsoron Allah, ku girmama sarki.
18Bayi, ku yi biyayya ga iyayengijinku da matuƙar ladabi, ba kawai ga waɗanda suke da kirki da masu sauƙinkai ba, amma har ga masu zafin rai ma. 19Gama abin yabo ne in mutum ya yi haƙuri cikin zafin wahalar rashin adalci saboda yana sane da Allah. 20Amma ina abin taƙama in kuka sha duka saboda kun yi laifi kuka kuma jimre? Sai dai in kuka sha wahala saboda yin nagari kuka kuma jimre, abin yabo ne a gaban Allah. 21Ga wannan ne aka kira ku, domin Kiristi ya sha wahala dominku, ya bar muku gurbin da ya kamata ku bi.
22“Bai taɓa yin laifi ba sam,
ba a kuma sami ƙarya a bakinsa ba.”2.22 Ish 53.9
23Sa’ad da suka zazzage shi, bai rama ba; sa’ad da ya sha wahala, bai yi barazana ba. A maimakon haka, ya miƙa kansa ga wanda yake shari’ar adalci. 24Shi kansa ya ɗauki zunubanmu a jikinsa a kan itace, domin mu mutu ga zunubai mu kuma rayu ga adalci; ta wurin raunukansa ne kuka sami warkarwa. 25Gama dā kuna kama da tumakin da suka ɓace, amma yanzu kun dawo ga Makiyayi da kuma Mai lura da rayukanku.
