Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
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as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;
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if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:
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unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,
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ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
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For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;
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and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
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But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
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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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Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul;
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having your behavior seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
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Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether to the king, as supreme;
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or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well.
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For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
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as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.
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Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
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Servants, [be] in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
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For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully.
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For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted [for it], ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
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For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps:
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who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
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who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously:
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who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.
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For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
1 [A Psalm for Solomon.] Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.
2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
