⁵ [Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

⁹ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own ^[a]purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.^(A)

4 So, since Christ suffered in the flesh ^[a]for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and ^[b]purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having ^[c]the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],

¹¹ Since all these things are thus ^[a]in the process of being dissolved, what kind of person ought [each of] you to be [in the meanwhile] in consecrated and holy behavior and devout and godly qualities,