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1 Peter 2:2
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
1 Peter 2:2, King James Version (KJV)
“as newborn babies, long for the pure spiritual milk, that with it you may grow,”
World English Bible (WEB)
1 Peter 2 (KJV)
- 1Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
- 2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
- 3If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
- 4To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
- 5Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
- 6Wherefore 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.
- 7Unto 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,
- 8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
- 9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
- 10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
- 11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
- 12Having 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.
- 13Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
- 14Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
- 15For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
- 16As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
- 17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
- 18Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
- 19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
- 20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
- 21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
- 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
- 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
- 24Who his own self 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.
- 25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Related verses
Passages that readers often connect with 1 Peter 2:2, in the King James Version.
Hebrews 5:12–13
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. …
Ephesians 4:15
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 3:1–2
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. …
Mark 10:15
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
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1769 standardized text (eBible.org eng-kjv). Public domain outside the United Kingdom. Text courtesy of the Crosswire Bible Society and eBible.org. World English Bible Protestant Edition (eBible engwebp, 2026-09-15 snapshot). Public domain. World English Bible is a trademark of eBible.org. Text unmodified; footnotes and formatting omitted. Related verses: OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0), from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.