| Douay-RheimsDouay-Rheims Bible — The New Testament was published at Rheims, France (1582), the Old Testament at Douay (1609) by exiled English Catholic scholars. Bishop Challoner updated it extensively mid-18th century. The Douay-Rheims served as the English bible for the Catholic world for centuries. This text set is from an approved 1914 U.S. printing. | Clementine Latin VulgateClementine Latin Vulgate Bible — Update to the Latin Vulgate Bible of St. Jerome, a foundational Catholic bible, originally issued under Pope Sixtus V and authoritatively revised by Pope Clement VIII, hence its name. This 1914 printing starts with the original Clementine text and takes into account variations in prior printings as well as correctoria officially issued by the Vatican. | Haydock CommentaryHaydock Catholic Bible Commentary — Originally compiled by Catholic priest and biblical scholar Rev. George Leo Haydock (1774-1849); written with the Douay-Rheims Bible in view. |
| 1 Wherefore laying away all malice, and all guile, and dissimulations, and envies, and all detractions, | Deponentes igitur omnem malitiam, et omnem dolum, et simulationes, et invidias, et omnes detractiones, | Wherefore laying aside all malice. S. Peter having put them in mind of the great benefit of Christ's coming to redeem us from sin, exhorts them to avoid sin, to lead a life worthy of their vocation, to follow Christ's doctrine, and imitate his example. Wi.
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| 2 As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile, that thereby you may grow unto salvation: | sicut modo geniti infantes, rationabile, sine dolo lac concupiscite: ut in eo crescatis in salutem: | Desire the rational [1] milk without guile, or deceit. Without guile, in construction, does not agree with new-born children, but with milk, as appears by the text. The sense is, follow the pure doctrine of the gospel, without mixture of errors. Wi.
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| 3 If so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet. | si tamen gustastis quoniam dulcis est Dominus. | Whoever has a relish for Jesus Christ, has also for his word; and such as have a relish for neither, are truly deplorable. Let us pray then that God would feed us with his word, and with the holy Eucharist, that contains his body and blood, his soul and his divinity, that we may thereby grow up to salvation.
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| 4 Unto whom coming, as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and made honourable by God: | Ad quem accedentes lapidem vivum, ab hominibus quidem reprobatum, a Deo autem electum, et honorificatum: | The living stone, rejected, &c. Christ is the chief foundation of his Church, the corner-stone of the building, whom the Jews, and other obstinate unbelievers, reject to their own condemnation and destruction. See Isai. xxviii. 16. Mat. xxi. 42. Acts iv. 11. Rom. ix. 32. Wi.
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| 5 Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. | et ipsi tamquam lapides vivi superædificamini, domus spiritualis, sacerdotium sanctum, offerre spirituales hostias, acceptabiles Deo per Iesum Christum: | You also . . . a holy [2] priesthood; and, as he saith again, (v. 9.) a royal priesthood. 1. Because they had ministers of God, who were truly and properly priests, of whom Christ is the chief. 2. Every good Christian in a less proper sense may be called a priest, inasmuch as he offers to God what in a less proper and metaphorical sense may be called sacrifices and oblations; that is, the sacrifice of an humble and contrite heart, (Ps. l.) the sacrifice of self-denials and mortifications, of prayer, almsdeeds, &c. And it is called a royal priesthood, as Christians may be called metaphorically kings, by governing their passions, or because they are invited to reign with Christ in his kingdom, to sit on his throne, &c. See Apoc. iii. 21. &c. Wi.
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| 6 Wherefore it is said in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious. And he that shall believe in him, shall not be confounded. | Propter quod continet Scriptura: Ecce pono in Sion lapidem summum angularem, electum, pretiosum: et qui crediderit in eum, non confundetur. | |
| 7 To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner: | Vobis igitur honor credentibus: non credentibus autem lapis, quem reprobaverunt ædificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli: | |
| 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of scandal, to them who stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto also they are set. | et lapis offensionis, et petra scandali his, qui offendunt verbo, nec credunt in quo et positi sunt. | Whereunto also they are [3] set, or placed, i.e. by God's permission; not that God is the cause of their sins or damnation, (whose will is that every one be saved) but his justice has appointed and decreed punishments against those who, by their own wilful malice, refuse to believe and to follow his doctrine: their stumbling against this stone is wilful and obstinate. Wi.
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| 9 But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: | Vos autem genus electum, regale sacerdotium, gens sancta, populus acquisitionis: ut virtutes annuncietis eius, qui de tenebris vos vocavit in admirabile lumen suum. | You are . . . a purchased people, whom Christ purchased, bought and redeemed with the price of his precious blood. — That you may declare his [4] virtues; i.e. the excellencies and perfections of God, who hath called you, and now made you his people, which you were not, at least in this matter before, neither you that were Jews, nor especially you that were Gentiles. Wi.
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| 10 Who in time past were not a people: but are now the people of God. Who had not obtained mercy; but now have obtained mercy. | Qui aliquando non populus, nunc autem populus Dei: qui non consecuti misericordiam, nunc autem misericordiam consecuti. | |
| 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul, | Charissimi, obsecro vos tamquam advenas et peregrinos abstinere vos a carnalibus desideriis, quæ militant adversus animam, | I beseech you . . . to refrain, &c. from all unlawful and disorderly passions, that the Gentiles not yet converted may have nothing to blame in your lives and conversation, but may be edified and induced to praise God. Wi.
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| 12 Having your conversation good among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by the good works, which they shall behold in you, glorify God in the day of visitation. | conversationem vestram inter Gentes habentes bonam: ut in eo, quod detrectant de vobis tamquam de malefactoribus, ex bonis operibus vos considerantes, glorificent Deum in die visitationis. | In the day of visitation. God is said to visit his people, sometimes by afflictions and punishments, and sometimes by graces and favours. Some think S. Peter here, by the day of visitation, means the approaching destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and that the sense is, that the heathen Romans seeing your peaceable dispositions and pious conversations, may have a favourable opinion of the Christian religion, and be converted. Others, that you and they to whom the gospel is preached, may glorify God when he visits them with graces and favours, whether exterior or interior. Wi. — Be careful not to give occasion to scandal. Detraction is the life of the world, and piety is most exposed to its shafts, because it most condemns the maxims of its followers.
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| 13 Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God's sake: whether it be to the king as excelling; | Subiecti igitur estote omni humanæ creaturæ propter Deum: sive regi quasi præcellenti: | To every human creature, [5] to every one whom the order of Providence has placed over you, whether it be to emperors or kings, who have the supreme power in kingdoms, or to governors of provinces; obey your temporal princes, though heathens and idolaters, (as the Roman emperors were at that time enemies to the Christian religion) in all that is not sinful and against the law of God: for this is the will of God, and all power is from God. See Rom.s xiii. In like manner (v. 18) servants must be subject and obey their masters, though they be infidels. See 1 Cor. vii. By this you will silence the ignorance and calumnies of foolish men, who pretended that the Christian religion taught them to be disobedient to princes, and to be subjects of Christ only, their supreme spiritual king. Wi.
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| 14 Or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of the good: | sive ducibus tamquam ab eo missis ad vindictam malefactorum, laudem vero bonorum: | |
| 15 For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: | quia sic est voluntas Dei, ut benefacientes obmutescere faciatis imprudentium hominum ignorantiam: | |
| 16 As free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God. | quasi liberi, et non quasi velamen habentes malitiæ libertatem, sed sicut servi Dei. | As free; to wit, from the slavery of sin, but take care not to make this Christian freedom and liberty a cloak for malice, as they do, who pretend that this makes subjects free from their obedience to temporal princes and magistrates; or servants free from the obedience due to their masters, even when they are froward, [6] ill-humoured, or cross to them. Wi. — There were some heretics in the days of S. Peter, as there are at present, who under pretext of evangelical liberty seek to be free from all even lawful subjection, and thus set themselves above the ordinances of both civil and ecclesiastical power.
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| 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. | Omnes honorate: fraternitatem diligite: Deum timete: Regem honorificate. | |
| 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. | Servi subditi estote in omni timore dominis, non tantum bonis et modestis, sed etiam dyscolis. | |
| 19 For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully. | Hæc est enim gratia, si propter Dei conscientiam sustinet qui tristitias, patiens iniuste. | Take notice that this is praiseworthy, an effect of God's grace, a thing acceptable to God, when you suffer injuries patiently; whereas it is no glory, nothing that deserves commendation or reward, either before God or man, to suffer for doing ill, as a malefactor, who deserves punishments. But it is glorious and meritorious for you to suffer as Christians, and for the Christian faith: be not then ashamed to suffer in this manner. These sufferings are marks of God's favour towards you, and you have the example of Christ, which you must imitate. Wi.
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| 20 For what glory is it, if committing sin, and being buffeted for it, you endure? But if doing well you suffer patiently; this is thankworthy before God. | Quæ enim est gloria, si peccantes, et colaphizati suffertis? sed si bene facientes patienter sustinetis: hæc est gratia apud Deum. | |
| 21 For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. | In hoc enim vocati estis: quia et Christus passus est pro nobis, vobis relinquens exemplum ut sequamini vestigia eius. | |
| 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. | qui peccatum non fecit, nec inventus est dolus in ore eius: | |
| 23 Who, when he was reviled, did not revile: when he suffered, he threatened not: but delivered himself to him that judged him unjustly. | qui cum malediceretur, non maledicebat: cum pateretur, non comminabatur: tradebat autem iudicanti se iniuste: | Christ, who was incapable of sinning, did not revile [7] them that reviled him; he suffered all with patience; he willingly gave himself up to Pontius Pilate, that judged him, and condemned him unjustly [8] to the death of the cross: and remember that all he suffered was to satisfy for your sins, that he bore our sins in his own body on the tree of the cross. Remember always this great benefit of your redemption, and of your being called to believe in him, and to be eternally happy by following his doctrine; that all of you were as sheep going astray, lost in your ignorance and in your sins, but that by his grace and by his merits you are now called and converted to Jesus Christ, the great pastor and bishop of your souls. You are happy if you live under his care, inspection, and protection. Wi.
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| 24 Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. | qui peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum: ut peccatis mortui, iustitiæ vivamus: cuius livore sanati estis. | |
| 25 For you were as sheep going astray; but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls. | Eratis enim sicut oves errantes, sed conversi estis nunc ad pastorem, et episcopum animarum vestrarum. | |
