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But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,[a] in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.(A)

10 Once you were not a people,
    but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
    but now you have received mercy.(B)

Live as Servants of God

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul.[b](C) 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.[c](D)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.9 Gk a people for his possession
  2. 2.11 Or one’s life
  3. 2.12 Gk God on the day of visitation

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) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(F) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

11 Dear friends,(G) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(H) to abstain from sinful desires,(I) which wage war against your soul.(J) 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(K) and glorify God(L) on the day he visits us.

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