4. Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable.
5. Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.
6. For the scripture says:“I chose a valuable stone,which I am placing as the cornerstone in Zion;and whoever believes in him will never be disappointed.”
7. This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe:“The stone which the builders rejected as worthlessturned out to be the most important of all.”
8. And another scripture says:“This is the stone that will make people stumble,the rock that will make them fall.”They stumbled because they did not believe in the word; such was God's will for them.
9. But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvellous light.
10. At one time you were not God's people, but now you are his people; at one time you did not know God's mercy, but now you have received his mercy.
11. I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this world! Do not give in to bodily passions, which are always at war against the soul.
12. Your conduct among the heathen should be so good that when they accuse you of being evildoers, they will have to recognize your good deeds and so praise God on the Day of his coming.
13. For the sake of the Lord submit to every human authority: to the Emperor, who is the supreme authority,
14. and to the governors, who have been appointed by him to punish the evildoers and to praise those who do good.