But God chose you to be his own people, his royal priests, a holy nation, his special treasure. You’re all these things so that you can tell everyone how wonderful God is. He brought you out of darkness and into his marvelous light.
The Spirit is a guarantee that someday we’ll receive all that God has promised. That will happen after God sets all his people completely free. All these things will bring praise to his glory.
If anyone speaks, they should do it as someone who’s speaking God’s own words. If anyone serves, they should do it with the strength that God provides. That way God will be praised in all things through Jesus Christ. May he receive the glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
You’re also like living stones. As you come to Christ, you’re being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests and offer spiritual sacrifices that God will accept because of what Jesus Christ has done.
I also pray that you may understand more clearly. That way you’ll know the hope that God has called you to, the glorious riches that God will give his holy people,
While Peter was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them. A voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, and I’m very pleased with him. Listen to him!”
He did that to show for all time the riches of his grace, which can’t be compared with anything else. He demonstrated his grace by being kind to us because of what Christ Jesus has done.