The Incarnation of the Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning,^(A) which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,^(B) which we have looked at and our hands have touched^(C)—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. ² The life appeared;^(D) we have seen it and testify to it,^(E) and we proclaim to you the eternal life,^(F) which was with the Father and has appeared to us. ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard,^(G) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.^(H)

⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you^(B) and given to a people who will produce its fruit. ⁴⁴ Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”^[b](C)

²² You Samaritans worship what you do not know;^(A) we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.^(B)

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(A) but fellow citizens^(B) with God’s people and also members of his household,^{(C) 20} built^(D) on the foundation^(E) of the apostles and prophets,^(F) with Christ Jesus himself^(G) as the chief cornerstone.^(H)

⁶ For in Scripture it says:

⁷ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,^(C)

⁸ and,

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^(G)

⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(H) a royal priesthood,^(I) a holy nation,^(J) God’s special possession,^(K) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^{(L) 10} Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(M) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.