81 lines
3.5 KiB
Markdown
81 lines
3.5 KiB
Markdown
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## As Living Stones, God's Chosen Family
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###### 1
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Therefore, laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
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###### 2
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like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
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###### 3
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if you have tasted the kindness of the LORD.
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###### 4
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_And_ coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
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###### 5
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you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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###### 6
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For _this_ is contained in Scripture: "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner _stone_, And he who believes upon Him will not be put to shame."
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###### 7
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This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner _stone_,"
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###### 8
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and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this _stumbling_ they were also appointed.
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###### 9
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But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for _God's_ own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
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###### 10
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for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
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###### 11
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Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul,
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###### 12
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by keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good works, as they observe _them_, glorify God in the day of visitation.
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## Be Subject to Authority
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###### 13
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Be subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
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###### 14
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or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good.
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###### 15
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For such is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
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###### 16
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_Act_ as free people, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but _use it_ as slaves of God.
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###### 17
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Honor all people, love the brethren, fear God, honor the king.
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###### 18
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Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are crooked.
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###### 19
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For this _finds_ favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unrighteously.
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###### 20
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For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer _for it_, you endure, this _finds_ favor with God.
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## Christ, Our Example
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###### 21
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For to this you have been called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps,
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###### 22
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who did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
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###### 23
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who being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting _Himself_ to Him who judges righteously.
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###### 24
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Who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that having died to sin, we might live to righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.
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###### 25
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For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
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