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.
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, honor 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.
