21 And they that believed through him in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that ye might have faith and hope in God.

22 By obedience to the truth through the Spirit, having cleansed your souls unto unfeigned brotherly love, love one another constantly from a pure heart,

23 As regenerated, not of perishable seed, but of incorruptible seed, of the word of God, which is alive and endureth for ever.

24 For all flesh is like grass, and all human glory is like the flower of the grass: the grass is withered, and its flower is fallen;

25 but the word of the Lord endureth for ever; and this is the word that was preached to you.

2

1 And having laid aside therefore all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all backbiting,

2 As newborn babes, love the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow unto salvation.

3 for you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 Coming unto him, a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God, precious,

5 And yourselves, as living stones, build yourselves a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it is said in the Scriptures, Behold, I set in Zion a cornerstone, a chosen one, a precious one; and he who believes in Him will not be ashamed.

7 Therefore he is a precious thing to you who believe, but to those who do not believe a stone which the builders have rejected, but which has become the head of the corner, a stone of stumbling and a stone of offense,

8 Against which they stumble, not obeying the word, wherefore they are left behind.

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people taken as an inheritance, to proclaim the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His wondrous light;

10 Not once a people, but now the people of God; once unpardoned, but now they have been pardoned.

11 Beloved! I beseech you, as strangers and strangers, to depart from the lusts of the flesh that rise up against the soul,

12 and to lead a virtuous life among the Gentiles, that they may glorify God in the day of visitation because of the things for which they curse you as evildoers, when they see your good works.