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.
Jiwe Lililo Hai Na Watu Waliochaguliwa
12:1 Efe 4:22; Yak 4:11Kwa hiyo, wekeni mbali nanyi uovu wote na udanganyifu wote, unafiki, wivu na masingizio ya kila namna. 22:2 1Kor 3:2; Ebr 5:12-13; Efe 4:15-16Kama watoto wachanga, waliozaliwa sasa, yatamanini maziwa ya kiroho yasiyochanganywa na kitu kingine chochote, ili kwa hayo mpate kukua katika wokovu, 32:3 Za 34:8; Ebr 6:5ikiwa kweli mmeonja ya kwamba Bwana ni mwema.
42:4 Za 118:22; Mt 21:42; Mdo 4:11Mnapokuja kwake, yeye aliye Jiwe lililo hai, lililokataliwa na wanadamu bali kwa Mungu ni teule na la thamani kwake, 52:5 Mit 9:1; Efe 2:20-22; 1Tim 3:15; Kut 19:6; Ufu 5:10; Ebr 13:15ninyi nanyi, kama mawe yaliyo hai, mnajengwa kuwa nyumba ya kiroho, ili mpate kuwa ukuhani mtakatifu, mkitoa dhabihu za kiroho zinazokubaliwa na Mungu kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo. 62:6 Efe 2:20; Rum 10:11Kwa maana imeandikwa katika Maandiko:
“Tazama, naweka katika Sayuni,
jiwe la pembeni teule lenye thamani,
na yeyote atakayemwamini
hataaibika kamwe.”
72:7 2Kor 2:16; Mdo 4:11Kwenu ninyi mnaoamini, jiwe hili ni la thamani. Lakini kwao wasioamini,
“Jiwe walilolikataa waashi
limekuwa jiwe kuu la pembeni,”
82:8 Isa 8:14; 1Kor 1:23; Rum 9:22tena,
“Jiwe lenye kuwafanya watu wajikwae,
na mwamba wa kuwaangusha.”
Wanajikwaa kwa sababu hawakulitii lile neno, kama walivyowekewa tangu zamani.
92:9 1Sam 12:22; Kut 19:6; Mdo 26:18Lakini ninyi ni taifa teule, ukuhani wa kifalme, taifa takatifu, watu walio milki ya Mungu, mlioitwa ili kutangaza sifa zake yeye aliyewaita kutoka gizani mkaingie katika nuru yake ya ajabu. 102:10 Rum 9:25-26; Hos 1:9, 10; 2:23Mwanzo ninyi mlikuwa si taifa, lakini sasa ninyi ni taifa la Mungu. Mwanzo mlikuwa hamjapata rehema, lakini sasa mmepata rehema.
112:11 Rum 13:14; Yak 4:1Wapenzi, ninawasihi, mkiwa kama wageni na wapitaji hapa ulimwenguni, epukeni tamaa mbaya za mwili ambazo hupigana vita na roho zenu. 122:12 Tit 2:8, 14; Mt 5:16; 9:8Kuweni na mwenendo mzuri mbele ya watu wasiomjua Mungu, ili kama wanawasingizia kuwa watenda mabaya, wayaone matendo yenu mema nao wamtukuze Mungu siku atakapokuja kwetu.
Kuwatii Wenye Mamlaka
132:13 Tit 3:1; Rum 13:1; Mt 22:21Kwa ajili ya Bwana, tiini kila mamlaka iliyowekwa na wanadamu: Kwa mfalme kwani ndiye aliye na mamlaka ya juu zaidi, 142:14 Rum 13:3-4au kwa maafisa aliowaweka, kwa kuwa mfalme amewatuma ili kuwaadhibu wale wanaokosa, na kuwapongeza wale watendao mema. 152:15 1Pet 3:17; 4:19Kwa maana ni mapenzi ya Mungu kwamba kwa kutenda mema mnyamazishe maneno ya kijinga ya watu wapumbavu. 162:16 Yn 8:32; Rum 6:22Ishini kama watu huru, lakini msitumie uhuru wenu kama kisingizio cha kutenda uovu, bali ishini kama watumishi wa Mungu. 172:17 Rum 12:10; Mit 24:21; 1Pet 2:18; Efe 6:5; Yak 3:17Mheshimuni kila mtu ipasavyo: Wapendeni jamaa ya ndugu waumini, mcheni Mungu, mpeni heshima mfalme.
182:18 1Kor 6:20; 7:23; Eze 20:18; 1Pet 4:3Ninyi watumwa, watiini mabwana zenu kwa heshima yote, si wale mabwana walio wema na wapole peke yao, bali pia wale walio wakali. 192:19 1Pet 3:14-17; Mt 5:10; Rum 13:5; 1Pet 3:14Kwa maana ni jambo la sifa kama mtu akivumilia anapoteswa kwa uonevu kwa ajili ya Mungu. 202:20 1Pet 3:14; 4:14, 15Kwani ni faida gani kwa mtu kustahimili anapopigwa kwa sababu ya makosa yake? Lakini kama mkiteswa kwa sababu ya kutenda mema, nanyi mkastahimili, hili ni jambo la kusifiwa mbele za Mungu.
Mfano Wa Mateso Ya Kristo
212:21 Flp 1:29; Mt 11:29Ninyi mliitwa kwa ajili ya haya, kwa sababu Kristo naye aliteswa kwa ajili yenu, akiwaachia kielelezo, ili mzifuate nyayo zake.
222:22 Isa 53:7-9“Yeye hakutenda dhambi,
wala hila haikuonekana kinywani mwake.”
232:23 Lk 23:46Yeye alipotukanwa, hakurudisha matukano; alipoteswa, hakutishia, bali alijikabidhi kwa yeye ahukumuye kwa haki. 242:24 Isa 53:4-11; Rum 6:2; Za 103:3; Ebr 12:13Yeye mwenyewe alizichukua dhambi zetu katika mwili wake juu ya mti, ili tufe kwa mambo ya dhambi, bali tupate kuishi katika haki. Kwa kupigwa kwake, ninyi mmeponywa. 252:25 Isa 53:6; Yn 10:11Kwa maana mlikuwa mmepotea kama kondoo, lakini sasa mmerudi kwa Mchungaji na Mwangalizi wa roho zenu.
