But you are A CHOSENRACE,A royalPRIESTHOOD,A HOLYNATION,A PEOPLEFOR [God's] OWN POSSESSION,sothat you may proclaimthe excellenciesof Him who has calledyou out of darknessinto His marvelouslight;
"For you are a holypeopleto the LORDyour God;the LORDyour Godhas chosenyou to be a peoplefor His own possessionout of allthe peopleswhoare on the faceof the earth.
and He has madeus [to be] a kingdom,prieststo His Godand Father--to Him [be] the gloryand the dominionforever and ever.Amen.
"You have madethem [to be] a kingdomand prieststo our God;and they will reignupon the earth."
But you will be calledthe priestsof the LORD;You will be spokenof [as] ministersof our God.You will eatthe wealthof nations,And in their richesyou will boast.
who has savedus and calledus with a holycalling,not accordingto our works,but accordingto His ownpurposeand gracewhich was grantedus in ChristJesusfrom alleternity,
"For you are a holypeopleto the LORDyour God,and the LORDhas chosenyou to be a peoplefor His own possessionout of allthe peopleswhoare on the faceof the earth.
you also,as livingstones,are being builtup as a spiritualhousefor a holypriesthood,to offerup spiritualsacrificesacceptableto GodthroughJesusChrist.
whogaveHimselffor us to redeemus from everylawless deed,and to purifyfor Himselfa peoplefor His ownpossession,zealousfor gooddeeds.
"Yeton your fathersdid the LORDsetHis affectionto lovethem, and He chosetheir descendantsafterthem, [even] you aboveallpeoples,as [it is] thisday.
"Openthe gates,that the righteousnationmay enter,The one that remainsfaithful.
to opentheir eyesso that they may turnfrom darknessto lightand from the dominionof Satanto God,that they may receiveforgivenessof sinsand an inheritanceamongthosewho have been sanctifiedby faithin Me.'
Blessedand holyis the one who hasa partin the firstresurrection;overthesethe seconddeathhasnopower,but they will be priestsof Godand of Christand will reignwith Him for a thousandyears.
Blessedis the nationwhoseGodis the LORD,The peoplewhom He has chosenfor His own inheritance.
"Let your lightshinebeforemenin such a waythat they may seeyour goodworks,and glorifyyour Fatherwho is in heaven.
"But the LORDhas takenyou and broughtyou out of the ironfurnace,from Egypt,to be a peoplefor His own possession,as today.
For He rescuedus from the domainof darkness,and transferredus to the kingdomof His belovedSon,
Ifany mandestroysthe templeof God,Godwill destroyhim, for the templeof Godis holy,and that is whatyou are.
"Be on guardfor yourselvesand for allthe flock,amongwhichthe HolySpirithas madeyou overseers,to shepherdthe churchof GodwhichHe purchasedwith His ownblood.
"I will alsotakesomeof them for priests[and] for Levites,"saysthe LORD.
"I will leadthe blindby a waythey do not know,In pathsthey do not knowI will guidethem. I will makedarknessinto lightbeforethem And ruggedplacesinto plains.Theseare the thingsI will do,And I will not leavethem undone."
"But you, Israel,My servant,JacobwhomI have chosen,Descendantof AbrahamMy friend,
The peoplewho walkin darknessWill seea greatlight;Those who livein a darkland,The lightwill shineon them.
I presson towardthe goalfor the prizeof the upwardcallof Godin ChristJesus.
"But nowlisten,O Jacob,My servant,And Israel,whom I have chosen:
"THE PEOPLEWHO WERE SITTINGIN DARKNESSSAWA GREATLIGHT,AND THOSEWHO WERE SITTINGIN THE LANDAND SHADOWOF DEATH,UPON THEM A LIGHTDAWNED."
accordingto the foreknowledgeof Godthe Father,by the sanctifying workof the Spirit,to obeyJesusChristand be sprinkledwith His blood:May graceand peacebe yoursin the fullest measure.
TO SHINEUPON THOSEWHO SITIN DARKNESSAND THE SHADOWOF DEATH,To guideour feetinto the wayof peace."
That I may seethe prosperityof Your chosenones,That I may rejoicein the gladnessof Your nation,That I may glorywith Your inheritance.
[even] us, whomHe alsocalled,not from amongJewsonly,but alsofrom amongGentiles.
Agrippa[replied] to Paul,"In a short timeyou will persuademe to becomea Christian."
Whoeverspeaks,[is to do so] as onewho is speakingthe utterancesof God;whoeverserves[is to do] [so] as onewho is servingby the strengthwhichGodsupplies;sothat in all thingsGodmay be glorifiedthroughJesusChrist,to whombelongsthe gloryand dominionforeverand ever.Amen.
to the praiseof the gloryof His grace,whichHe freely bestowedon us in the Beloved.
IfI had said,"I will speakthus,"Behold,I would have betrayedthe generationof Your children.
Posteritywill serveHim; It will be toldof the Lordto the [coming] generation.
whois given as a pledgeof our inheritance,with a viewto the redemptionof [God's own] possession,to the praiseof His glory.
"For their sakesI sanctifyMyself,that they themselvesalsomay be sanctifiedin truth.
to Him [be] the gloryin the churchand in ChristJesusto allgenerationsforeverand ever.Amen.
"For the LORDwill not abandonHis peopleon accountof His greatname,becausethe LORDhas been pleasedto makeyou a peoplefor Himself.
The LORDis God,and He has givenus light;Bindthe festivalsacrificewith cordsto the hornsof the altar.
For the LORDhas chosenJacobfor Himself, Israelfor His own possession.
And they will callthem, "The holypeople,The redeemedof the LORD";And you will be called,"Soughtout, a citynot forsaken."
"They will be Mine," saysthe LORDof hosts,"on the daythat I prepare[My] own possession,and I will sparethem as a manspareshis own sonwho serveshim."
"They shall havenoinheritanceamongtheir countrymen;the LORDis their inheritance,as He promisedthem.
