1 Tad nu, atmetuši visu ļaunprātību un visu viltu, liekulību un skaudību, kā arī visas mēlnesības,
2 Kārojiet kā patlaban piedzimuši bērni pēc garīgā tīrā piena, ka jūs ar to augat un topat izglābti,
3 Ja jūs esat baudījuši, ka tas Kungs ir labs.
4 Ejiet pie viņa kā pie dzīva akmens, kas gan cilvēku atmests, bet Dievam izredzēts un dārgs.
5 Un uzceliet no sevis pašiem kā dzīviem akmeņiem garīgu namu un topiet par svētu priesteru saimi, nesot garīgus upurus, kas Dievam ir patīkami, caur Jēzu Kristu,
6 Jo ir rakstīts: „Redzi, es lieku Ciānā izredzētu dārgu stūj-a akmeni, un kas tic uz viņu, nepaliks kaunā.“
7 Tad nu jums, kas ticat, dārgs ieguvums, bet neticīgiem: akmens, ko nama cēlēji atmetuši, tas ir tapis par stūja akmeni, un ir akmens, pār kuru krīt, un klints, pie kuras piedauzās.
8 Tiem tas ir par piedauzību, kas neklausa vārdam, kam tic ari ir nolemti.
9 Bet jūs esat izredzēta cilts, ķēnišķīgi priesteri, svēta tauta, Dieva īpašums, lai jūs paustu tā varenos darbus, kas jūs ir aicinājis no tumsas savā brīnišķīgajā gaismā,
10 Jūs, kas citkārt nebijāt tauta, bet tagad Dieva tauta, kas nebijāt apžēloti, bet tagad esat apžēloti.
11 Mīļotie, es jūs pamācu kā piedzīvotājus un svešniekus atturēties no miesas kārībām, kas karo pret dvēseli,
12 Dzīvojiet krietni (godīgi) pagānu starpā, lai tie, kas jūs aprunā kā ļaundarus, redzētu jūsu labos darbus un pagodinātu Dievu piemeklēšanas dienā.
13 Esiet paklausīgi ikkatrai cilvēku starpā ieceltai kārtībai tā Kunga dēļ,
14 Ir valdniekam, kas ir pār visiem, ir pārvaldniekiem kā tādiem, kas viņa sūtīti, lai sodītu ļaundapus, bet atalgotu tos, kas dara labu.
15 Jo tāda ir Dieva griba, ka jūs labu darot, apklusinātu neprātīgu cilvēku nezināšanu
16 Kā svabadi, bet ne kā tādi, kam svabadiba būtu kā ļaunuma apsegs, bet kā Dieva kalpi.
17 Turiet visus godā, mīliet brāļu saimi, bīstaities Dievu, godājiet valdnieku.
18 Kalpi, paklausiet saviem kungiem visā bijībā, nevien labajiem un lēnajiem, bet arī ļaunajiem.
19 Jo tā ir žēlastība, ja kāds savas dievapziņas dēļ panes bēdas, netaisnību ciezdams.
20 Jo kāda slava jums būs, ja jūs panesīsit sitienus pārkāpumu dēļ? Bet ja jūs labu darīdami cietīsit pārestības un tās panesīsit, tas Dievam labi patīk.
21 Jo uz to jūs esat aicināti; jo arī Kristus ir cietis jūsu labā, jums atstādams priekšzīmi, lai jūs sekotu viņa pēdām.
22 Tas grēku nedarīja, nedz arī atrada viltu viņa mutē;
23 Viņš zaimots neatbildēja ar zaimiem, ciezdams nedraudēja, bet at-stāja visu tam, kas spriež taisnu tiesu.
24 Viņš uznesa mūsu grēkus savā miesā pie staba, lai mēs grēkiem miruši, dzīvotu taisnībai; ar viņa brūcēm jūs esat dziedināti.
25 Jo jūs maldījāties kā avis, bet tagad jūs esat atgriezti pie sava dvēseļu gana un sarga.
A Living Stone and a Holy Nation
1 Stop being hateful! Quit trying to fool people, and start being sincere. Don't be jealous or say cruel things about others. 2 Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. 3 You have already found out how good the Lord really is.
4 Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honored. 5 And now you are living stones being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God. 6 It is just as God says in the Scriptures,
“Look! I am placing in Zion
a choice and precious
cornerstone.
No one who has faith
in this one
will be disappointed.”
7 You are followers of the Lord, and this stone is precious to you. But it isn't precious to those who refuse to follow him. They are the builders who tossed aside the stone that turned out to be the most important one of all. 8 They disobeyed the message and stumbled and fell over this stone, because they were doomed.
9 But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things he has done. The Scriptures say,
10 “Once you were nobody.
Now you are God's people.
At one time no one
had mercy on you.
Now God has treated you
with kindness.”
Live as God's Servants Should
11 Dear friends, you are foreigners and strangers on this earth. So I beg you not to surrender to those desires that fight against you. 12 Always let others see you behaving properly, even though they may still accuse you of doing wrong. Then on the day of judgment, they will honor God by telling the good things they saw you do.
13 The Lord wants you to obey all human authorities, especially the Emperor, who rules over everyone. 14 You must also obey governors, because they are sent by the Emperor to punish criminals and to praise good citizens. 15 God wants you to silence stupid and ignorant people by doing right. 16 You are free, but still you are God's servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong. 17 Respect everyone and show special love for God's people. Honor God and respect the Emperor.
The Example of Christ's Suffering
18 Servants, you must obey your masters and always show respect to them. Do this, not only to those who are kind and thoughtful, but also to those who are cruel. 19 God will bless you, even if others treat you unfairly for being loyal to him. 20 You don't gain anything by being punished for some wrong you have done. But God will bless you, if you have to suffer for doing something good. 21 After all, God chose you to suffer as you follow in the footsteps of Christ, who set an example by suffering for you.
22 Christ did not sin
or ever tell a lie.
23 Although he was abused,
he never tried to get even.
And when he suffered,
he made no threats.
Instead, he had faith in God,
who judges fairly.
24 Christ carried the burden
of our sins.
He was nailed to the cross,
so we would stop sinning
and start living right.
By his cuts and bruises
you are healed.
25 You had wandered away
like sheep.
Now you have returned
to the one
who is your shepherd
and protector.
