¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites,^(A) I know that you acted in ignorance,^(B) as did your leaders.^{(C) 18} But this is how God fulfilled^(D) what he had foretold^(E) through all the prophets,^(F) saying that his Messiah would suffer.^{(G) 19} Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,^(H) that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

⁸ and,

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

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

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

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

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