• 1. Wherefore lay asyde all maliciousnesse, and all guile, and faynednesse, and enuie, and all backbityng,
  • 2. And as newe borne babes, desire ye ye milke of the worde, which is without deceipt: that ye may growe therby [vnto saluatio]
  • 3. If so be that ye haue tasted howe gratious the Lorde is:
  • 4. To whom ye come, as vnto a lyuyng stone, disalowed of men, but chosen of God and precious:
  • 5. And ye as lyuely stones, be you made a spirituall house, an holy priesthood, for to offer vp spirituall sacrifices, acceptable to God by Iesus Christe.
  • 6. Wherefore it is conteyned also in the scripture: beholde, I put in Sion a stone to be laide in the chiefe corner, elect and precious, and he that beleueth on hym, shall not be confounded.
  • 7. Unto you therfore which beleue, he is precious: but vnto them whiche beleue not, the stone which the buylders refused, the same is made the head of the corner:
  • 8. And a stone that men stumble at, and a rocke wherat they be offended, whiche stumble at the worde, and beyng disobedient, vnto the whiche thing they were euen ordeyned.
  • 9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royall priesthood, an holy nation, a peculier people: that ye should shewe foorth the vertues of hym that called you out of darknesse into his marueylous lyght.
  • 10. Which in time past were not a people, but are nowe the people of God: which sometime had not obteyned mercy, but nowe haue obteyned mercy.
  • 11. Dearely beloued, I beseche you as straugers and pilgrimes, abstaine from fleshly lustes, whiche fight agaynst the soule:
  • 12. And see that ye haue honest conuersation among the gentiles: that where as they backbite you as euyll doers, they may by your good workes whiche they shall see, prayse God in the day of visitation.
  • 13. Submit your selues therfore vnto al maner ordinaunce of ma for the Lordes sake: whether it be vnto the king, as hauyng the preeminence:
  • 14. Other vnto rulers, as vnto them that are sent of hym for the punyshment of euyll doers, but for the laude of them that do well.
  • 15. For so is the wyll of God, that with well doyng, ye may stoppe the mouthes of foolishe and ignoraunt men:
  • 16. As free, and not as hauyng the libertie for a cloke of maliciousnes, but euen as the seruauntes of God.
  • 17. Honour all men. Loue brotherly felowship. Feare God. Honour the kyng.
  • 18. Seruauntes, obey your maisters with all feare, not only yf they be good & curteous, but also though they be frowarde.
  • 19. For it is thanke worthy, yf a man for coscience toward god, endure griefe, and suffer wrong vndeserued.
  • 20. For what prayse is it, yf when ye be buffeted for your faultes, ye take it paciently? But yf when ye do well ye suffer wrong, & take it paciently, then is there thanke with God.
  • 21. For herevnto veryly were ye called, for Christe also suffered for vs, leauyng vs an ensample, that ye should folowe his steppes.
  • 22. Which did no sinne, neyther was there guyle founde in his mouth.
  • 23. Whiche when he was reuiled, reuiled not agayne: when he suffred, he threatned not, but committed the vengeaunce to him that iudgeth righteously.
  • 24. Which his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, that we beyng deliuered from sinne, shoulde liue vnto ryghteousnes: By whose strypes ye were healed.
  • 25. For ye were as sheepe goyng astray: but are nowe turned vnto the sheephearde and Byshop of your soules.