1 Peter 2:6-17

New American Standard Bible

⁶For this is contained in ^[a]Scripture:

“^(A)Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a ^(B)precious cornerstone,
And the one who believes in ^[b]Him will not be ^[c]put to shame.”

⁷^(C)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

“^(D)A stone which the builders ^(E)rejected,
This became the ^[d]chief cornerstone,”

⁸and,

“^(F)A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

^(G)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^(H)and to this they were also appointed.

⁹But you are ^(I)a chosen people, a royal ^(J)priesthood, a ^(K)holy nation, ^(L)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^(M)out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰^(N)for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹^(O)Beloved, ^(P)I urge you as ^(Q)foreigners and strangers to abstain from ^(R)fleshly lusts, which wage ^(S)war against the soul. ¹²^(T)Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they ^(U)slander you as evildoers, they may ^[e]because of your good deeds, as they observe them, ^(V)glorify God ^(W)on the day of ^[f]visitation.

Honor Authority

¹³^(X)Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, ¹⁴or to governors as sent ^[g]by him ^(Y)for the punishment of evildoers and the ^(Z)praise of those who do right. ¹⁵For ^[h]^(AA)such is the will of God, that by doing right you ^(AB)silence the ignorance of foolish people. ¹⁶Act as ^(AC)free people, and ^[i]do not use your freedom as a ^[j]covering for evil, but use it as ^(AD)bond-servants of God. ¹⁷^(AE)Honor all people, ^(AF)love the brotherhood, ^(AG)fear God, ^(AH)honor the ^[k]king.