Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Peter 2:1

"Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings," — 1 Peter 2:1 (ASV)

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

This is what we are to lay aside, to put away from us, to banish altogether. These are the old garments of the flesh which we are to give up to the moths so that they may devour them, and leave no fragment of the old rags for us to wear. Laying aside all malice.

Has anybody injured you? Are you angry with that person because of what they have done to you? Freely forgive the injury, and wholly forget it.

And all guile. That is, everything that is of the nature of craftiness and deception. Be honest, simple, straightforward, transparent; this is a trait of character that is especially fitting for all Christians.

And hypocrisies of all sorts. Let us not profess to be what we are not, nor pretend to know what we do not know, or talk of experiences which we have never felt; in fact, let us never be hypocrites in any respect whatsoever. The God of truth loves His children to be the embodiments of truth. Hypocrisy He hates with a perfect hatred.

And envies. We must lay them all aside, all envy of others because they are richer, or more gifted, or more highly esteemed than we are. Let us not envy anybody, for envy eats a person's own heart out and slays them, as Eliphaz said to Job, Envy slayeth the silly one.

And all evil speakings. We are not to be the repeaters of stories to the discredit of others, or to make up or to exaggerate any evil reports concerning anything in their lives. Let us have nothing to do with evil speakings of any kind. Lay all these rags aside. Is any one of them still clinging to you? Let it be laid aside this very hour.

Wherefore laying aside all malice,

This is one of the old corruptible things, so put it away from you.

And all guile,

All crafty tricks, all falsehood, exaggeration, double meanings to your words, and the like.

And hypocrisies, and envies,

All hatred of those who are either better or better off than you are.

And all evil speaking,

Thus the tongue expresses what the heart feels. Laying all these evil things aside, you will prove that you have been born again, born of the incorruptible seed which lives and abides forever.

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, (1 Peter 2:1).

Putting these evil things right away from you, having nothing further to do with any of them. Notice the repetition of the word "all." All malice, and all guile, – everything in the shape of deceit, – and all evil speakings. All these are to be put away by all believers, as rags are put away in the rag-bucket, or refuse on the dunghill.