Be Holy

¹³ So be watchful, and control yourselves completely. In this way, put your hope in the grace that lies ahead. This grace will be brought to you when Jesus Christ returns. ¹⁴ You should obey your Father. You shouldn’t give in to evil desires. They controlled your life when you didn’t know any better. ¹⁵ The God who chose you is holy. So you should be holy in all that you do. ¹⁶ It is written, “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44,45; 19:2)

¹⁷ You call on a Father who judges each person’s work without favoring one over another. So live as outsiders during your time here. Live with the highest respect for God. ¹⁸ You were set free from an empty way of life. This way of life was handed down to you by your own people of long ago. You know that you were not bought with things that can pass away, like silver or gold. ¹⁹ Instead, you were bought with the priceless blood of Christ. He is a perfect lamb. He doesn’t have any flaws at all. ²⁰ He was chosen before God created the world. But he came into the world for your sake in these last days. ²¹ Because of what Christ has done, you believe in God. It was God who raised him from the dead. And it was God who gave him glory. So your faith and hope are in God.

²² You have made yourselves pure by obeying the truth. So you have an honest and true love for each other. So love one another deeply, from your hearts. ²³ You have been born again by means of the living word of God. His word lasts forever. You were not born again from a seed that will die. You were born from a seed that can’t die. ²⁴ It is written,

And this is the word that was preached to you.