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;
That I may seethe prosperityof Your chosenones,That I may rejoicein the gladnessof Your nation,That I may glorywith Your inheritance.
The LORDis God,and He has givenus light;Bindthe festivalsacrificewith cordsto the hornsof the altar.
For the LORDhas chosenJacobfor Himself, Israelfor His own possession.
Posteritywill serveHim; It will be toldof the Lordto the [coming] generation.
Blessedis the nationwhoseGodis the LORD,The peoplewhom He has chosenfor His own inheritance.
IfI had said,"I will speakthus,"Behold,I would have betrayedthe generationof Your children.
"Openthe gates,that the righteousnationmay enter,The one that remainsfaithful.
"But you, Israel,My servant,JacobwhomI have chosen,Descendantof AbrahamMy friend,
"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 nowlisten,O Jacob,My servant,And Israel,whom I have chosen:
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.
And they will callthem, "The holypeople,The redeemedof the LORD";And you will be called,"Soughtout, a citynot forsaken."
"I will alsotakesomeof them for priests[and] for Levites,"saysthe LORD.
The peoplewho walkin darknessWill seea greatlight;Those who livein a darkland,The lightwill shineon them.
"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."
"THE PEOPLEWHO WERE SITTINGIN DARKNESSSAWA GREATLIGHT,AND THOSEWHO WERE SITTINGIN THE LANDAND SHADOWOF DEATH,UPON THEM A LIGHTDAWNED."
"Let your lightshinebeforemenin such a waythat they may seeyour goodworks,and glorifyyour Fatherwho is in heaven.
TO SHINEUPON THOSEWHO SITIN DARKNESSAND THE SHADOWOF DEATH,To guideour feetinto the wayof peace."
"For their sakesI sanctifyMyself,that they themselvesalsomay be sanctifiedin truth.
"Be on guardfor yourselvesand for allthe flock,amongwhichthe HolySpirithas madeyou overseers,to shepherdthe churchof GodwhichHe purchasedwith His ownblood.
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.'
Agrippa[replied] to Paul,"In a short timeyou will persuademe to becomea Christian."
[even] us, whomHe alsocalled,not from amongJewsonly,but alsofrom amongGentiles.
Ifany mandestroysthe templeof God,Godwill destroyhim, for the templeof Godis holy,and that is whatyou are.
whois given as a pledgeof our inheritance,with a viewto the redemptionof [God's own] possession,to the praiseof His glory.
to the praiseof the gloryof His grace,whichHe freely bestowedon us in the Beloved.
to Him [be] the gloryin the churchand in ChristJesusto allgenerationsforeverand ever.Amen.
"Yeton your fathersdid the LORDsetHis affectionto lovethem, and He chosetheir descendantsafterthem, [even] you aboveallpeoples,as [it is] thisday.
"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.
"They shall havenoinheritanceamongtheir countrymen;the LORDis their inheritance,as He promisedthem.
"But the LORDhas takenyou and broughtyou out of the ironfurnace,from Egypt,to be a peoplefor His own possession,as today.
"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.
I presson towardthe goalfor the prizeof the upwardcallof Godin ChristJesus.
For He rescuedus from the domainof darkness,and transferredus to the kingdomof His belovedSon,
who has savedus and calledus with a holycalling,not accordingto our works,but accordingto His ownpurposeand gracewhich was grantedus in ChristJesusfrom alleternity,
whogaveHimselffor us to redeemus from everylawless deed,and to purifyfor Himselfa peoplefor His ownpossession,zealousfor gooddeeds.
accordingto the foreknowledgeof Godthe Father,by the sanctifying workof the Spirit,to obeyJesusChristand be sprinkledwith His blood:May graceand peacebe yoursin the fullest measure.
you also,as livingstones,are being builtup as a spiritualhousefor a holypriesthood,to offerup spiritualsacrificesacceptableto GodthroughJesusChrist.
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.
and He has madeus [to be] a kingdom,prieststo His Godand Father--to Him [be] the gloryand the dominionforever and ever.Amen.
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.
"You have madethem [to be] a kingdomand prieststo our God;and they will reignupon the earth."
"For the LORDwill not abandonHis peopleon accountof His greatname,becausethe LORDhas been pleasedto makeyou a peoplefor Himself.
