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.
Ejjinja Eddamu n’Eggwanga Ettukuvu
12:1 a Bef 4:22 b Yak 4:11Kale mukomye buli ngeri yonna ey’ettima, n’obulimba bwonna, n’obukuusa, n’obuggya, n’okwogera ekibi kwonna. 22:2 a 1Ko 3:2 b Bef 4:15, 16Ng’abaana abaakazaalibwa bwe beegomba amata, nammwe mwegombenga amata ag’omwoyo, muganywenga mukule era mulokolebwe, 32:3 Beb 6:5kubanga mwalega ku bulungi bwa Mukama.
42:4 nny 7Mujje gy’ali kubanga ye ly’ejjinja eddamu, abantu lye baasuula nga balowooza nti terigasa, kyokka eryalondebwa Katonda era ery’omugaso omunene ennyo. 52:5 a 1Ko 3:9 b 1Ti 3:15 c Is 61:6 d Baf 4:18; Beb 13:15Mujje gy’ali nga muli ng’amayinja amalamu, muzimbibwemu ennyumba ey’omwoyo. Mulyoke mube bakabona be abaweereza ssaddaaka ey’omwoyo, esiimibwa Katonda mu Yesu Kristo Mukama waffe. 62:6 a Bef 2:20 b Is 28:16Kubanga ekyawandiikibwa kigamba nti,
“Laba, nteeka mu Sayuuni,
ejjinja ery’oku nsonda ery’omuwendo omungi eddonde,
oyo eyeesiga Kristo,
taliswazibwa.”
72:7 a 2Ko 2:16 b Zab 118:22Ejjinja eryo lya muwendo mungi nnyo eri mmwe abakkiriza. Naye eri abatakkiriza,
“Lye jjinja abazimbi lye baagaana,
lye lifuuse ejjinja ekkulu ery’oku nsonda.”
82:8 a Is 8:14; 1Ko 1:23 b Bar 9:22Era
“Lye jjinja abantu lye beekoonako,
lwe lwazi kwe beesittala ne bagwa.”
Beesittala kubanga bajeemera ekigambo kya Katonda, nga bwe ky’ateekebwateekebwa.
92:9 a Ma 10:15 b Is 62:12 c Bik 26:18Naye mwe muli kika kironde, bakabona bw’obwakabaka, eggwanga ettukuvu, abantu ba Katonda bennyini. Mwalondebwa mulyoke mutende ebirungi bya Katonda eyabaggya mu kizikiza n’abayingiza mu butangaavu bwe obutenkanika. 102:10 Kos 1:9, 10Edda temwali ggwanga, naye kaakano muli ggwanga lya Katonda, era mwali temusaasirwa, naye kaakano Katonda abasaasidde.
Abaweereza ba Katonda
112:11 a Bag 5:16 b Yak 4:1Abaagalwa, mutegeerere ddala nti ku nsi kuno muli bayise. Kyenva mbeegayirira mwewale okwegomba kw’omubiri, kubanga kulwanagana n’omwoyo. 122:12 a Baf 2:15; 1Pe 3:16 b Mat 5:16; 9:8Mukuumenga empisa zammwe ennungi, abo be mubeera nabo abatakkiriza, newaakubadde baboogerako nti ebikolwa byammwe bibi, basobole okulaba ebirungi bye mukola, balyoke bagulumize Katonda ku lunaku lw’alirabikirako.
132:13 Bar 13:1Ku lwa Mukama waffe, mugonderenga buli kiragiro ky’abo abali mu buyinza, oba kabaka alina obufuzi obw’oku ntikko, 142:14 a Bar 13:4 b Bar 13:3oba abafuzi abalala b’atuma okubonerezanga abakola ebikolwa ebibi, era n’okusiimanga abo abakola ebikolwa ebirungi. 152:15 a 1Pe 3:17 b nny 12Kubanga Katonda asiima mukolenga ebirungi, mulyoke musirisenga abantu abasirusiru era abatalina kye bamanyi. 162:16 a Yk 8:32 b Bar 6:22Mubenga ba ddembe, kyokka nga temulyesigamya ku kukola bitasaana, wabula mulikozese ng’abaweereza ba Katonda. 172:17 a Bar 12:10 b Bar 13:7Mussengamu abantu bonna ekitiibwa, mwagalenga nnyo abooluganda. Mutyenga Katonda. Mussengamu ekitiibwa abafuzi.
Tulabire ku Kristo
182:18 a Bef 6:5 b Yak 3:17Abaddu, mugonderenga bakama bammwe, nga mubassaamu ekitiibwa ekijjuvu, si abo bokka abalungi n’abakwatampola naye n’abo abakambwe. 192:19 1Pe 3:14, 17Kubanga kya mukisa omuntu bw’abonyaabonyezebwa awatali nsonga, n’agumiikiriza olw’okutuukiriza ekyo Katonda ky’ayagala. 202:20 1Pe 3:17Kale kitiibwa ki kye mufuna bwe mugumiikiriza mu kubonaabona olw’okukola ekibi? Naye Katonda abasiima bwe mugumiikiriza nga mubonyaabonyezebwa olw’okukola obulungi. 212:21 a Bik 14:22 b Mat 16:24Ekyo kye mwayitirwa kubanga ne Kristo yabonyaabonyezebwa ku lwammwe, n’abalekera ekyokulabirako kye musaana okugoberera.
222:22 Is 53:9“Kristo teyakola kibi
wadde okwogera ebyobukuusa.”
23Bwe yavumibwa, ye teyavuma. Era abaamubonyaabonya teyabeewerera, wabula yeewaayo eri Katonda alamula awatali kusaliriza. 242:24 a Beb 9:28 b Bar 6:2Yesu Kristo yennyini yeetikka ebibi byaffe mu mubiri gwe bwe yatufiirira ku musaalaba, naffe tulyoke tufe eri ekibi, tube abalamu eri obutuukirivu. Olw’ebiwundu bye, muwonyezebbwa. 25Kubanga mwali muwabye ng’endiga, naye kaakano mukomezebbwaawo eri Omusumba era alabirira obulamu bwammwe.
