The Lord is Good

1Laying aside therefore all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings and all evil speakings, 2as newborn babes desire earnestly the pure mental milk of the word, that by it ye may grow up to salvation, 3if indeed ye have tasted that the Lord [is] good.

The Living Stone

(Isaiah 28:14-22; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

4To whom coming, a living stone, cast away indeed as worthless by men, but with God chosen, precious, 5yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6Because it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Zion a corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be put to shame.

7To you therefore who believe [is] the preciousness; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders cast away as worthless, this is become head of [the] corner,

8and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence; [who] stumble at the word, being disobedient to which also they have been appointed.

9But *ye* [are] a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light; 10who once [were] not a people, but now God's people; who were not enjoying mercy, but now have found mercy.

11Beloved, I exhort [you], as strangers and sojourners, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that [as to that] in which they speak against you as evildoers, they may through [your] good works, [themselves] witnessing [them], glorify God in [the] day of visitation.

Submission to Authorities

(Romans 13:1-7)

13Be in subjection [therefore] to every human institution for the Lord's sake; whether to [the] king as supreme, 14or to rulers as sent by him, for vengeance on evildoers, and praise to them that do well. 15Because so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of senseless men; 16as free, and not as having liberty as a cloak of malice, but as God's bondmen. 17Shew honour to all, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the king.

18Servants, [be] subject with all fear to your masters, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the ill-tempered. 19For this [is] acceptable, if one, for conscience sake towards God, endure griefs, suffering unjustly. 20For what glory [is it], if sinning and being buffeted ye shall bear [it]? but if, doing good and suffering, ye shall bear [it], this is acceptable with God.

Christ's Example of Suffering

(Isaiah 53:1-8; Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; John 18:19-24)

21For to this have ye been called; for Christ also has suffered for you, leaving you a model that ye should follow in his steps: 22who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; 23who, [when] reviled, reviled not again; [when] suffering, threatened not; but gave [himself] over into the hands of him who judges righteously; 24who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, in order that, being dead to sins, we may live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed. 25For ye were going astray as sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.