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1 Putting away therefore all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking,
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2 as newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby,
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3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious:
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4 coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
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5 You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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6 Because it is contained in scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: He who believes in him will not be put to shame."
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7 For you therefore who believe is the honor, but for such as are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected, Has become the chief cornerstone,"
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8 and, "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed.
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9 But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
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10 who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
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11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul;
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12 having good behavior among the nations, so in that which they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.
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13 Therefore subject yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;
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14 or to governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to those who do well.
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15 For so is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
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16 as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
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17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
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18 Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.
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19 For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.
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20 For what glory is it, if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.
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21 For to this were you called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps,
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22 who did not sin, "neither was deceit found in his mouth."
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23 Who, when he was reviled, didn't revile back. When he suffered, didn't threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;
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24 who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.
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25 For you were going astray like sheep; but are now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
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