The Living Stone and the Holy Nation
1 Rid yourselves, then, of all evil; no more lying or hypocrisy or jealousy or insulting language. 2 Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for the pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved. 3 As the scripture says, “You have found out for yourselves how kind the Lord is.”
4 Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable. 5 Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For the scripture says,
“I chose a valuable stone,
which I am placing as the cornerstone in Zion;
and whoever believes in him will never be disappointed.”
7 This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe:
“The stone which the builders rejected as worthless
turned out to be the most important of all.”
8 And another scripture says,
“This is the stone that will make people stumble,
the rock that will make them fall.”
They stumbled because they did not believe in the word; such was God's will for them.
9 But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light. 10 At one time you were not God's people, but now you are his people; at one time you did not know God's mercy, but now you have received his mercy.
Slaves of God
11 I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this world! Do not give in to bodily passions, which are always at war against the soul. 12 Your conduct among the heathen should be so good that when they accuse you of being evildoers, they will have to recognize your good deeds and so praise God on the Day of his coming.
13 For the sake of the Lord submit yourselves to every human authority: to the Emperor, who is the supreme authority, 14 and to the governors, who have been appointed by him to punish the evildoers and to praise those who do good. 15 For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do. 16 Live as free people; do not, however, use your freedom to cover up any evil, but live as God's slaves. 17 Respect everyone, love other believers, honor God, and respect the Emperor.
The Example of Christ's Suffering
18 You servants must submit yourselves to your masters and show them complete respect, not only to those who are kind and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 God will bless you for this, if you endure the pain of undeserved suffering because you are conscious of his will. 20 For what credit is there if you endure the beatings you deserve for having done wrong? But if you endure suffering even when you have done right, God will bless you for it. 21 It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie come from his lips. 23 When he was insulted, he did not answer back with an insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but placed his hopes in God, the righteous Judge. 24 Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed. 25 You were like sheep that had lost their way, but now you have been brought back to follow the Shepherd and Keeper of your souls.
Okukula kwOmukriste
1 Hano liduleni owii aushe noipupulu aishe noihelele nefupa nomalwaambo, 2 nye mu hale shili ongaashi ouhanana omashini aa omeendjovo inamu ya sha, opo mu kule keenghono dao, mu xupifwe, 3 ngeenge mwa makela kutya, Omwene Oye omuwa.
4 Ileni kuye, okemanya li nomwenyo, la ekelwashi kovanhu, ndelenee la hoololwa kuKalunga, li nondilo, 5 nanye yo tungweni ngaashi omamanya e nomwenyo, mu ninge eumbo lopamhepo nongudu youpristeli ouyapuki okuyamba omayambo opamhepo a wapalela Kalunga omolwaJesus Kristus. 6 Osheshi opa shangwa momishangwa:
“Tala, Ame ohandi dikile muSion emanya la hoololwa,
omutwe u nondilo wokolonela,
nokeshe ou te mu itavele, ita ka fifwa ohoni.”
7 Hano kunye, ava mwa itavela, Oye e nondilo, ndelenee kwaavo va anya okwiitavela,
“emanya olo la ekelwashi kovatungi,
olo la ninga omutwe wokolonela,”
8 ndele:
“Emanya lepunduko
nemanya lokupundula kwaavo,”
tave lipumu kondjovo mokuhadulika, osho ve shi tulilwa po nokuli.
9 Ndelenee nye epata la hoololwa nongudu youpristeli pauhamba noshiwana shiyapuki novana vaye mwene, mu hepaulule oilonga ya fimana yaau e mu ifana mo momulaulu, mu ye mouyelele waye tau kumwifa. 10 Onye kamwa li oshiwana nale, ndelenee paife omwa ninga oshiwana shaKalunga nomwa li inamu filwa onghenda, ndele paife mwa filwa onghenda.
Likeleleni kouhalu wopambelela
11 Ovaholike, ohandi mu kumaida ngaashi ovaenda novanailongo, mu lidilike okahalu kombelela haka lwifa omwenyo, 12 ndele kaleni nokweenda muhe noshipo mokati kovapaani, opo nee eshi tave mu popile mowii ngaashi ovalongi vowii, mokutala oilonga yeni iwa va hambelele Kalunga mefiku lekongo.
Dulikeni kovapangeli
13 Dulikeni kukeshe epangelo lopanhu omolwOmwene, nge kohamba, omukulunhu waaveshe, 14 ile komalenga a tumwa kuye okuhandukila ovanyoni nokupanda ava hava wanifa ouwa. 15 Osheshi ehalo laKalunga oleli, onye mokulonga ouwa mu mweneke ovanhu omalai vehe neendunge, 16 ongaashi ovamangululwa, ndelenee hamanguluko lokulituvika nalo oulunde, ndelenee ongaashi ovapiya vaKalunga. 17 Fimanekeni aveshe, holeni ovamwatate, tileni Kalunga, fimanekeni ohamba.
Ovapiya, dulikeni pashihopaelelwa shaKristus
18 Ovapiya, kaleni nokudulika koovene veni mokutila shili, hakwaava aveke vawa ve nombili, ndelenee nokwaava ovananyanya. 19 Osheshi osho efilonghenda, ngeenge pe na ou ta humbata oudjuu omolweliudo laye la dama Kalunga, eshi ta hepekwa ina ninga sha. 20 Osheshi ope nefimano lashike, ngeenge tamu lididimike eshi hamu dengelwa omanyonauno? Ndele ngeenge tamu lididimike eshi tamu hepekelwa oilonga yeni iwa, osho onghenda koshipala shaKalunga. 21 Osheshi osho tuu eshi mwe shi ifanenwa, osheshi naKristus yo okwe mu hepekelwa nokwe mu fiila oshihopaelelwa mu shikule oshikoti shaye. 22 Oye ou ina longa oulunde washa nokwa li ehe na nande oipupulu mokanya kaye. 23 Ye ina tuka eshi a tukwa noina handuka, eshi a hepekwa, ndelenee e liyandja kwaau ta tokola sha yuka. 24 Oye ou a humbata Ye mwene omatimba etu molutu laye noku a londeka komushiyakano, opo tu longe ouyuki, eshi twa fya mo moulunde; Oye ou mwa velulwa koipute yaye. 25 Osheshi nale mwa li omwa kana mwa fa eedi, ndelenee paife omwa alukila kOmufita nokOmutekuli weemwenyo deni.
