New International Reader's Version NIRV
Wycliffe WYC
1 So get rid of every kind of evil. Stop telling lies. Don't pretend to be something you are not. Stop wanting what others have. Don't speak against each other.
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Therefore put ye away all malice, and all guile, and feignings, and envies, and all backbitings; [Therefore putting away all malice, and all guile, and simulations, or feignings, and envies, and all detractions;]
2 Like babies that were just born, you should long for the pure milk of God's word. It will help you grow up as believers.
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as now born young children, reasonable, without guile, covet ye milk [of full teaching], that in it ye wax into health;
3 You can do it now that you have tasted how good the Lord is.
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if nevertheless ye have tasted, that the Lord is sweet.
4 Christ is the living Stone. People did not accept him. But God chose him. God places the highest value on him.
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And approach ye to him, that is a living stone, and reproved of men [To whom ye going nigh, a quick stone, reproved soothly of men], but chosen of God, and honoured;
5 You also are like living stones. As you come to him you are being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests. You will offer spiritual sacrifices. God will accept them because of what Jesus Christ has done.
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and yourselves as quick stones be ye above builded [and yourselves as quick stones be above builded] into spiritual houses, and an holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 In Scripture it says, "Look! I am placing a stone in Zion. It is a chosen and very valuable stone. It is the most important stone in the building. The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (Isaiah 28:16)
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For which thing the scripture saith, Lo! I shall set in Sion the highest corner stone, chosen and precious [For which thing the scripture holdeth, Lo! I shall put in Sion the highest stone, a corner stone, chosen, precious]; and he that shall believe in him, shall not be confounded.
7 The stone is very valuable to you who believe. But to people who do not believe, "The stone the builders did not accept has become the most important stone of all." (Psalm 118:22)
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Therefore honour to you that believe; but to men that believe not, the stone whom the builders reproved, this is made into the head of the corner;
8 And, "It is a stone that causes people to trip. It is a rock that makes them fall." (Isaiah 8:14) They trip and fall because they do not obey the message. That is also what God planned for them.
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and the stone of hurting, and the stone of stumbling, to them that offend to the word, neither believe it, in which they be set. [+and the stone of hurting, and the stone of offence, to them that offend by word, neither believe, in which and they be put.]
9 But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are a people who belong to God. All of this is so that you can sing his praises. He brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
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But ye be a chosen kin, a kingly priesthood, holy folk, a people of purchasing, that ye tell the virtues of him, that called you from darknesses into his wonderful light.
10 Once you were not a people. But now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy. But now you have received mercy.
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Which sometime were not a people of God, but now ye be the people of God; which had not mercy, but now ye have mercy.
11 Dear friends, you are outsiders and strangers in this world. So I'm asking you not to give in to your sinful longings. They fight against your soul.
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Most dear, I beseech you, as comelings and pilgrims, to abstain you from fleshly desires, that fight against the soul;
12 People who don't believe might say you are doing wrong. But lead good lives among them. Then they will see your good works. And they will give glory to God on the day he comes to judge.
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and have ye your conversation good among heathen men [having your conversation, or life, good among heathen men], that in that thing that they backbite of you, as of misdoers, they behold you of good works, and glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Follow the lead of every human authority. Do it because the Lord wants you to. Obey the king. He is the highest authority.
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Be ye subject to each creature of man, for God; either to the king, as to him that is higher in state [as precellent, or more worthy in state],
14 Obey the governors. The king sends them to punish those who do wrong. He also sends them to praise those who do right.
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either to dukes, as to those that be sent of him to the vengeance of misdoers, and to the praising of good men [forsooth to the praising of good deeds, or good men].
15 By doing good you will put a stop to the talk of foolish people. They don't know what they are saying. God wants you to stop them.
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For so is the will of God, that ye do well, and make the unknowingness of unprudent men to be dumb. [For so is the will of God, that ye doing well, make the unknowingness of unwise men to be dumb.]
16 Live like free people. But don't use your freedom to cover up evil. Live like people who serve God.
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As free men, and not as having freedom the covering of malice, but as the servants of God.
17 Show proper respect to everyone. Love the community of believers. Have respect for God. Honor the king.
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Honour ye all men, love ye brotherhood, dread ye God, honour ye the king.
18 Slaves, obey your masters with all the respect you should give them. Obey not only those who are good and kind. Obey also those who are not kind.
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Servants, be ye subject in all dread to lords, not only to good and to mild [not only to good and mild], but also to tyrants.
19 Suppose a person suffers pain unfairly because he wants to obey God. That is worthy of praise.
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For this is grace, if for conscience of God any man suffereth heavinesses, and suffereth unjustly. [Forsooth this is grace, if for conscience of God any man suffereth sorrows, or heavinesses, suffering unjustly.]
20 But suppose you receive a beating for doing wrong, and you put up with it. Will anyone honor you for that? Of course not. But suppose you suffer for doing good, and you put up with it. God will praise you for that.
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For what grace is it, if ye sin, and be buffeted, and suffer? But if ye do well, and suffer patiently, this is grace with God.
21 Christ suffered for you. He left you an example. He expects you to follow in his steps. You too were chosen to suffer.
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For to this thing ye be called. For also Christ suffered for us, and left ensample to you [leaving to you example], that ye follow the steps of him.
22 Scripture says, "He didn't commit any sin. No lies ever came out of his mouth." (Isaiah 53:9)
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Which did not sin, neither guile was found in his mouth.
23 People shouted at him and made fun of him. But he didn't do the same back to them. He suffered. But he didn't say that bad things would happen to them. Instead, he trusted in the One who judges fairly.
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And when he was cursed, he cursed not [Which, when he was cursed, cursed not]; when he suffered, he menaced not; but he betook himself to him, that deemed him unjustly.
24 He himself carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did it so that we would die as far as sins are concerned. Then we would lead godly lives. His wounds have made you whole.
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And he himself bare our sins in his body on a tree [Which he himself suffered, or bare, our sins in his body on the tree], that we be dead to sins, and live to rightwiseness, by whose wan wound ye be healed.
25 You were like sheep who were wandering away. But now you have returned to the Shepherd. He is the Leader of your souls.
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For ye were as sheep erring, but ye be now turned to the shepherd, and bishop of your souls.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.