[continued from previous message]   
      
   [21] Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and   
   gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.   
   [22] Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the   
   Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another   
   with a pure heart fervently:   
   [23] Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the   
   word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.   
   [24] For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of   
   grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:   
   [25] But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which   
   by the gospel is preached unto you.   
      
   1 Peter 2   
      
   The Living Stone and the Holy Nation   
      
   1 (Eph 4:31; Jas 4:11; 1:21) Therefore put away all wickedness, deceit,   
   hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking.   
   2 (Mt 18:3; Eph 4:15)As newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word,   
   that by it you may grow,   
   3 if it is true that you have experienced that the Lord is good.   
      
   [1] Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and   
   envies, and all evil speakings,   
   [2] As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow   
   thereby:   
   [3] If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.   
      
   4 (1Pe 2:7) Coming to Him as to a living stone who is rejected by men,   
   but chosen by God and precious,   
   5 (Php 4:18; 1Pe 2:9; Isa 61:6) you also, as living stones, are being built   
   up into a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual   
   sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.   
   6 (Isa 28:16; Eph 2:20) For also it is contained in the Scripture,   
   "Look! I lay in Zion   
   a chief cornerstone, elect, precious,   
   and he who believes in Him   
   shall never be put to shame." (Isa 28:16.)   
   7 (Mt 21:42; 2Co 2:16) Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious.   
   But to those who are disobedient,   
   "The stone that the builders rejected   
   has become the cornerstone,"(Ps 118:22.)   
   8 (Isa 8:14; Ro 9:22) and,   
   "A stone of stumbling,   
   and a rock of offense."(Isa 8:14.)   
   They stumble because they are disobedient to the word,   
   to which also they were appointed.   
   9 (Dt 7:6; 10:15) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy   
   nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may declare the   
   goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.   
   10 (Hos 1:9-10; 2:23) In times past, you were not a people, but now you are   
   the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received   
   mercy.   
      
   [4] To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but   
   chosen of God, and precious,   
   [5] Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy   
   priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus   
   Christ.   
   [6] Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a   
   chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not   
   be confounded.   
   [7] Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be   
   disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the   
   head of the corner,   
   [8] And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which   
   stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.   
   [9] But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a   
   peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath   
   called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:   
   [10] Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God:   
   which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.   
      
   Live as Servants of God   
      
   11 (Jas 4:1; Lev 25:23) Dearly beloved, I implore you as aliens and refugees,   
   abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.   
   12 (Mt 5:16; 1Pe 3:16) Live your lives honorably among the Gentiles, so that   
   though they speak against you as evildoers, they shall see your good works   
   and thereby glorify God in the day of visitation.   
   13 (Titus 3:1) Submit yourselves to every human authority for the Lord's sake,   
   whether it be to the king, as supreme,   
   14 (Ro 13:3-4) or to governors, as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers   
   and to praise those who do right.   
   15 (1Pe 2:12) For it is the will of God that by doing right you may put to   
   silence the ignorance of foolish men.   
   16 (Ro 6:22; 1Co 7:22) As free people, do not use your liberty as a covering   
   for evil, but live as servants of God.   
   17 (Ro 13:7; Pr 24:21; Ro 12:10) Honor all people. Love the brotherhood.   
   Fear God. Honor the king.   
      
   [11] Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from   
   fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;   
   [12] Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they   
   speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they   
   shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.   
   [13] Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake:   
   whether it be to the king, as supreme;   
   [14] Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment   
   of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.   
   [15] For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence   
   the ignorance of foolish men:   
   [16] As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but   
   as the servants of God.   
   [17] Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.   
      
   The Example of Christ's Suffering   
      
   18 (Jas 3:17) Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only   
   to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.   
   19 (Ro 13:5) For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God   
   a person endures grief, suffering unjustly.   
   20 (1Pe 2:19; 3:17) For what credit is it if when you are being beaten   
   for your sins you patiently endure? But if when doing good and suffering   
   for it, you patiently endure, this is favorable before God.   
   21 (Ac 14:22; Mt 16:24) For to this you were called, because Christ suffered   
   for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:   
   22 (Isa 53:9; 2Co 5:21) "He committed no sin,   
   nor was deceit found in His mouth."(Isa 53:9.)   
   23 (Isa 53:7; Lk 23:46) When He was reviled, He did not revile back; when He   
   suffered, He did not threaten, but He entrusted Himself to Him who judges   
   righteously.   
   24 (Ro 6:2; 6:11) He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree,   
   that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.   
   "By His wounds you were healed."(Isa 53:5).   
   25 (Isa 53:6; Ps 119:176)   
   For you were as sheep going astray, but now have been returned   
   to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.   
      
   [18] Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the   
   good and gentle, but also to the froward.   
   [19] For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure   
   grief, suffering wrongfully.   
   [20] For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall   
   take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it   
   patiently, this is acceptable with God.   
   [21] For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,   
   leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:   
   [22] Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:   
   [23] Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he   
   threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:   
   [24] Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we,   
   being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were   
   healed.   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)