1 WHEREFORE laying aside all malice, [ feeling a need to see others suffer] and all guile, [ the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)] and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere [[Æina hte eilikrineiv. The word eilikrineia, which we translate sincerity, is compounded of eilh, the splendour of the sun, and krinw, I judge; a thing which may be examined in the clearest and strongest light, without the possibility of detecting a single flaw or imperfection. A metaphor, taken from the usual practice of chapmen, who while selecting their wares, bring them forth into the light and hold up the cloth against the sun, to see if they can see any default in them. Pure as the sun." Sincerity is from the Latin sinceritas, which is compounded of sine, without, and cera, wax, and is a metaphor taken from clarified honey; for the mel sincerum, pure or clarified honey, is that which is sine cera, without wax, no part of the comb being left in it.]] milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

9 But ye are a chosen generation,[so who is this letter addressed to? The Saints in the days of Peter. Wait a minute here how can they - the saints in Peters time be a chosen generation - so who is the chosen generation? That is a trick question because it does not mean a generation of time but rather the entire progeny of Jacob in all ages Isa 41:8-9 Elder Bruce R. McConkie defined a chosen generation as “not those living in a particular period or age, but … the house of Israel both anciently, in the meridian of time, and now in these latter-days. … [It includes] faithful members of the Church who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ and been adopted into his family” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1966–73], 3:294)] a royal priesthood,[ What Is a Royal Priesthood? or Royal because you have the priesthood of God - Royality above earthly royality. “Whenever the Lord has a people on earth he offers to make them a nation of kings and priests—not a congregation of lay members with a priest or a minister at the head—but a whole Church in which every man is his own minister, in which every man stands as a king in his own right, reigning over his own family-kingdom. The priesthood which makes a man a king and a priest is thus a royal priesthood.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:294.) Christ is the king of all those kings who he calls his own—those who are made royal by virtue of holding and honoring his priesthood. or what Moses calls a kingdom of priests, Exod. xix. 6, taken collectively; the order of men set apart for sacred offices - when the Lord has a people on the earth that are his he offers to make them a nation of Kings and prietss - not a congregration of lay members with a priest or minister at the head. Each man stands then as a king in his own right, reigning over his own family-kingdom Doc NT Comm pg 294]an holy nation, [separated from all the people of the earth, that they might worship the one only true God, and abstain from the abominations that were in the heathen world] a peculiar people; [ What Is the Meaning of the Phrase “a Peculiar People”? Each of the titles used here by Peter is a title formerly used to refer to the covenant people, the house of Israel. He therefore seeks to call to their minds that by virtue of their embracing the gospel they are now the new Israel. They are the chosen nation (see Isaiah 43:20), a royal “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:6) and a peculiar people. The word peculiar as used in the King James Version comes from the Latin peculium, meaning “private property.” Though today it has come to mean “strange or unusual,” it really carries the same idea—a characteristic or quality belonging to something. The marginal reading is “purchased” and means that the saints are God’s own, private people, a people for God’s own possession. This title too is suggested in the Old Testament when Isaiah says, “This people have I formed for myself.” (Isaiah 43:21.) President Joseph Fielding Smith added this: “And we will be peculiar because we will not be like other people who do not live up to these standards.” (CR, Apr. 1971, p. 47.) markedly different from the usual, a purchased people, those who have become faithful members of the church who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ and hence have been adopted into his family.] that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness [every person who accepts the gospel has accepted the call out of the darkness that they found themselves in] into his marvellous light: [The light of Christ, the light of truth, the light of the gospel]

10 Which in time past were not a people, [the saints to whom Peter is addressing this epistle to were gentiles before - they were not a group of people other than unbelievers - and once they become saints they are numbers as his - his people] but are now the people of God: [now they are the children of od - his people] which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. [justice will be meeted out to the ungodly - and mercy will be extended to the penitent]

11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, [what are they strangers to? Or why are they strangers? Because the country they seek is a heavenly country - and while on earth they are as strangers as their affiliations are to things beyond this earth] abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; [either to slay the soul, or to bring the soul into captivity]

12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. [judgement day, or the second coming]

13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

16 As free, [The Jews pretended that they were a free people, and owed allegiance to God alone; hence they were continually rebelling against the Roman government, to which God had subjected them because of their rebellion against him: thus they used their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness - for a pretext of rebellion, and by it endeavoured to vindicate their seditious and rebellious conduct.] and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. [How does one honor a king? A good servant honors the king by being obeident]

18 Servants, [ The Greek word means “household servant,” which in the Roman Empire were almost always slaves.] be subject to your masters with all fear; [With all submission and reverence.] not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. [skolioiv? The crooked, perverse, unreasonable morose, and austere. Your time belongs to your master; obey him in every thing that is not sinful; if he employs you about unreasonable or foolish things, let him answer for it. He may waste your time, and thus play the fool with his own property; you can only fill up your time: let him assign the work; it is your duty to obey.]

19 For this is thankworthy, [ they considered their obligation to duties and responsibilities not to depend on the character of the person to whom they were to be performed, but on the unalterable relations of things established by God.] if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted [Peter was remembering in all of its clarity the night he was an eyewitness to the Savior’s hour of trial. He uses the word buffeted, which means literally “to be struck with fists” and is the term used by both Matthew (Matthew 26:67) and Mark (Mark 14:65) to describe the treatment of the Master.] for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? [ “Peter didn’t want us to take any credit upon ourselves for the suffering we endure because of our own mistakes. He was willing to see us take credit for the suffering we endure because of discipleship, but not because of our own stupidity or our own sin.” (Neal A. Maxwell, “For a Small Moment,” Speeches of the Year, 1974, p. 447.)] but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: [Christ is our example with reference to "all covenants, contracts, bonds,obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations" (D&C 132:7]

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he [Jesus Christ] was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; [Peter hints at the contemptuous scorn of the high priest and Christ’s silent acceptance of it] but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self [he didn't call in an angel or proxy of any kind to take the heat so to speak - he accepted it as his assignment from the Father, his gift to use because of his great love for us] bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.