1 Peter 2:4-12

4 As you come to him, a living stone ¹rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,

5 ²you yourselves like living stones are being built up as ³a spiritual house, to be ⁴a holy priesthood, ⁵to offer spiritual sacrifices ⁶acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it stands in Scripture: ⁷"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, ⁸and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

7 So the honor is for you who ⁹believe, but for those who ¹⁰do not believe, ¹¹"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,"^[a]

8 and ¹²"A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense. "They stumble because they disobey the word, ¹³as they were destined to do.

9 But you are ¹⁴a chosen race, ¹⁵a royal ¹⁶priesthood, ¹⁷a holy nation, ¹⁸a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you ¹⁹out of darkness into ²⁰his marvelous light.

10 ²¹Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you ²²as sojourners and exiles ²³to abstain from the passions of the flesh, ²⁴which wage war against your soul.

12 ²⁵Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, ²⁶they may see your good deeds and glorify God on ²⁷the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:4-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 PETER 2

This chapter consists of exhortations, in general, to a holy life; and, in particular, to obedience to superiors. It begins with an exhortation to lay aside various vices, which were unbecoming regenerate persons, 1Pe 2:1 and, agreeably to their character, as new born babes, to express a desire after the Gospel, which is commended from its nature, being comparable to milk; and from its quality, being reasonable, sincere, and unmixed; and from the end and usefulness of it, a spiritual growth; and the argument engaging to such a desire is the experience they had of the grace of Christ in it, 1Pe 2:2,3 whose excellency is declared, under the metaphor of a stone, said to be living, to be chosen of God, and precious to him, though rejected by men; to whom the saints are encouraged to come, as lively stones built up, a spiritual house, for the exercise of the holy office of the priesthood, by offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ, 1Pe 2:4,5 and that Christ is such a precious stone, is proved from Isa 28:16 and not only to God, but to all them that believe; though to them that believe not, he is the stone of rejection, stumbling, and offence; to stumble at which, and the doctrine of it, through disobedience, they were of old appointed by God, 1Pe 2:6-8 but the character of the persons the apostle writes to was very different, quite the reverse, being chosen and called, and manifestly the people of God, and sharing in his grace and mercy, 1Pe 2:9,10 and these he exhorts, suitable to their state and condition, to abstain from sin, as an enemy to their souls, and to live an honest life and conversation among the Gentiles, that they, instead of speaking evil of them, might, by beholding their good works, glorify God, 1Pe 2:11,12. And particularly he exhorts them to obedience to civil magistrates, both superior and inferior; partly from the author of them, they being of the Lord; and partly from the usefulness of them to punish wicked men, and to encourage good men; and also from its being the will of God, by such obedience, to silence the cavils of foolish men, 1Pe 2:13-15. And whereas it might be objected, that they were made free by Christ, and therefore should not be the servants of men; it is granted, that they were free; but then it is denied, that they should use their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: and besides, it should be observed, that they were the servants of God, and therefore ought to do what he enjoined them; and, among other things, yield obedience to civil magistrates, 1Pe 2:16. And to this purpose are various exhortations in 1Pe 2:17, and another particular one is added, which is to servants, to be subject to their masters, and fear them, whether they be good or bad, 1Pe 2:18 and then he comforts such that had bad masters, and encourages them to bear the injuries they received from them patiently; because so to do was grateful to God, and acceptable in his sight; and because they were called unto it by him; and because of the example Christ had left them in suffering for them, 1Pe 2:19-21. And this is further urged from the character of Christ, who was without sin, and yet suffered, and from his conduct, who, when reviled, made no return, but left his cause with God, 1Pe 2:22,23 which leads on the apostle take notice of the nature of Christ's sufferings in his body on the cross, and the ends of them, which were expiation of sin, healing diseases, and holiness of life, as a consequent thereof, 1Pe 2:24 previous to which conversion, which is illustrated by the former state and condition men are in, being as sheep going astray; and by their present one, being returned to Christ, the Shepherd and Bishop of souls, 1Pe 2:25.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 6, 7
• 2. Ephesians 2:20-22; [1 Corinthians 3:9]
• 3. Hebrews 3:4, 6
• 4. ver. 9
• 5. Isaiah 56:7; Malachi 1:11; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15
• 6. Romans 15:16; Philippians 4:18
• 7. Cited from Isaiah 28:16
• 8. Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11
• 9. [2 Corinthians 2:16]
• 10. [2 Corinthians 2:16]
• 11. Cited from Psalms 118:22
• 12. Romans 9:33; Cited from Isaiah 8:14
• 13. [Romans 9:22; Jude 4]
• 14. Deuteronomy 10:15; Isaiah 43:20
• 15. Exodus 19:6; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10
• 16. Isaiah 61:6; Isaiah 66:21
• 17. Deuteronomy 7:6
• 18. Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Isaiah 43:21; Malachi 3:17
• 19. [Isaiah 42:16]; See Acts 26:18
• 20. Psalms 36:9
• 21. Hos. 1:6, 9, 10; Hosea 2:23; Romans 9:25, 26; Romans 10:19
• 22. See Leviticus 25:23
• 23. Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:24
• 24. James 4:1
• 25. [1 Peter 3:16; 2 Corinthians 8:21; Philippians 2:15; Titus 2:8]
• 26. Matthew 5:16; 2 Corinthians 9:13; Galatians 1:24
• 27. Isaiah 10:3; Luke 19:44

Footnotes

• [a]. Greek the head of the corner