The Living Stone and Chosen People (Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)
1 RV Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, BSB BSB: Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
2 RV as newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation; BSB BSB: Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
3 RV if ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: BSB BSB: now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 RV unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, BSB BSB: As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight,
5 RV ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. BSB BSB: you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 RV Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. BSB BSB: For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”
7 RV For you therefore which believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; BSB BSB: To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
8 RV and, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. BSB BSB: and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
9 RV But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may shew forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: BSB BSB: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
11 RV Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; BSB BSB: Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.
12 RV having your behaviour seemly among the Gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. BSB BSB: Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
Submission to Authorities (Romans 13:1–7)
13 RV Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; BSB BSB: Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority,
14 RV or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well. BSB BSB: or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.
15 RV For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: BSB BSB: For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
16 RV as free, and not using your freedom for a cloke of wickedness, but as bondservants of God. BSB BSB: Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
17 RV Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. BSB BSB: Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
18 RV Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. BSB BSB: Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable.
19 RV For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. BSB BSB: For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended.
20 RV For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it , ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it , ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. BSB BSB: How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
Christ’s Example of Suffering (Isaiah 53:1–8)
21 RV For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: BSB BSB: For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:
23 RV who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: BSB BSB: When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
24 RV who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. BSB BSB: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
25 RV For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. BSB BSB: For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.