A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you,^(A) brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(B) holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

¹⁵ Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice^(A) of praise—the fruit of lips^(B) that openly profess his name. ¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and to share with others,^(C) for with such sacrifices^(D) God is pleased.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

⁴ As you come to him, the living Stone^(A)—rejected by humans but chosen by God^(B) and precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built^(C) into a spiritual house^[a](D) to be a holy priesthood,^(E) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.^(F)

⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(A) a royal priesthood,^(B) a holy nation,^(C) God’s special possession,^(D) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(E)

Greetings and Doxology

⁴ John,

To the seven churches^(A) in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you^(B) from him who is, and who was, and who is to come,^(C) and from the seven spirits^[a](D) before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,^(E) the firstborn from the dead,^(F) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.^(G)

To him who loves us^(H) and has freed us from our sins by his blood,^{(I) 6} and has made us to be a kingdom and priests^(J) to serve his God and Father^(K)—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.^(L)

⁹ And they sang a new song, saying:^(A)