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) 6} For in Scripture it says:

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

⁸ and,

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

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

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

¹¹ Dear friends,^(T) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,^(U) to abstain from sinful desires,^(V) which wage war against your soul.^{(W) 12} Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds^(X) and glorify God^(Y) on the day he visits us.

¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:^(Z) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong^(AA) and to commend those who do right.^{(AB) 15} For it is God’s will^(AC) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.^{(AD) 16} Live as free people,^(AE) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;^(AF) live as God’s slaves.^{(AG) 17} Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,^(AH) fear God, honor the emperor.^(AI)

²⁰ In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians^(A) and enchanters in his whole kingdom.^(B)

²¹ And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.^(C)

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego^(A) replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver^(B) us from it, and he will deliver^(C) us^[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.^(D)”