²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.^(A)

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer^(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.^{(B) 18} They are darkened in their understanding^(C) and separated from the life of God^(D) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.^(E)

⁵ This is what the Lord says:

¹⁵ They rejected his decrees and the covenant^(A) he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols^(B) and themselves became worthless.^(C) They imitated the nations^(D) around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”

² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,^(A) boastful, proud,^(B) abusive,^(C) disobedient to their parents,^(D) ungrateful, unholy,

⁷ He said in a loud voice, “Fear God^(A) and give him glory,^(B) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made^(C) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”^(D)

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)