Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Our Inheritance Through Christ’s Blood

I Peter 2:¹ Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

I Peter 2:² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow (up to salvation) thereby,

I Peter 2:³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

I Peter 2:⁴ Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

• What does it mean to be chosen by God?
  To be chosen means to be holy, separated, different.
  To be chosen means to be given a special role in order to partake in an unimaginable inheritance.

To Be “Chosen” Means to be “Dead to Self” In Order to Serve Others so That They Too Might Live.

This may be either a spiritual or physical “death to self”:
a sacrifice of time, money, dignity, belongings, or life.

• Matthew 20:²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. ²¹ And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.” ²² But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” (a physical death to self)

• John 13:5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (a spiritual death to self)

• John 12:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. (a metaphoric spiritual and physical death to self)

This is “baptism”, to be like Christ. To die to self and to be raised to a new life.

-Greatness Is Serving-

• Matthew 20:²⁵ But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. ²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

To call Him LORD is to be His servant

I Peter 2:⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

I Peter 2:⁶ Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

I Peter 2:⁷ Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient (disbelieve),

“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”

I Peter 2:⁸ and

“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

I Peter 2:⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

I Peter 2:¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Living Before the World

I Peter 2:¹¹ Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

I Peter 2:¹² having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Submission to Government

I Peter 2:¹³ Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance (institution) of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,

I Peter 2:¹⁴ or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.

I Peter 2:¹⁵ For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—

I Peter 2:¹⁶ as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice (wickedness), but as bondservants of God.

I Peter 2:¹⁷ Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Submission to Masters

I Peter 2:¹⁸ Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

I Peter 2:¹⁹ For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.

I Peter 2:²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

I Peter 2:²¹ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us (you), leaving us (you) an example, that you should follow His steps:

I Peter 2:²² “Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

I Peter 2:²³ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

I Peter 2:²⁴ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes (wounds) you were healed.

I Peter 2:²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer (Greek: Episkopos) of your souls.