The Living Stone and Chosen People
(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)

1 Ἀποθέμενοι (Having put off) οὖν (therefore) πᾶσαν (all) κακίαν (malice) καὶ (and) πάντα (all) δόλον (deceit) καὶ (and) ὑποκρίσεις (hypocrisies) καὶ (and) φθόνους (envies) καὶ (and) πάσας (all) καταλαλιάς (evil-speakings), 2 ὡς (like) ἀρτιγέννητα (newborn) βρέφη (babies) τὸ (the) λογικὸν (reasonable) ἄδολον (unspoiled) γάλα (milk) ἐπιποθήσατε (long for), ἵνα (so that) ἐν (in) αὐτῷ (it) αὐξηθῆτε (you⁺ may grow up) εἰς (into) σωτηρίαν (salvation), 3 εἰ (if) ἐγεύσασθε (you⁺ tasted) ὅτι (that) χρηστὸς (is good) ὁ (the) Κύριος (Lord).

4 Πρὸς (To) ὃν (whom) προσερχόμενοι (coming), λίθον (a stone) ζῶντα (living), ὑπὸ (by) ἀνθρώπων (men) μὲν (indeed) ἀποδεδοκιμασμένον (rejected) παρὰ (with) δὲ (however) Θεῷ (God) ἐκλεκτὸν (chosen) ἔντιμον (and precious), 5 καὶ (also) αὐτοὶ (you yourselves) ὡς (as) λίθοι (stones) ζῶντες (living) οἰκοδομεῖσθε (are being built up) οἶκος (as a house) πνευματικὸς (spiritual) εἰς (into) ἱεράτευμα (a priesthood) ἅγιον (holy), ἀνενέγκαι (to offer up) πνευματικὰς (spiritual) θυσίας (sacrifices) εὐπροσδέκτους (acceptable) τῷ (-) Θεῷ (to God) διὰ (through) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) Χριστοῦ (Christ). 6 διότι (Therefore) περιέχει (it is contained) ἐν (in) γραφῇ (Scripture)·

Ἰδοὺ (Behold) τίθημι (I lay) ἐν (in) Σιὼν (Zion) λίθον (a stone)

ἀκρογωνιαῖον (a cornerstone) ἐκλεκτὸν (chosen) ἔντιμον (and precious),

καὶ (and) ὁ (the one) πιστεύων (believing) ἐπ’ (on) αὐτῷ (Him)

οὐ (no) μὴ (not) καταισχυνθῇ (shall be put to shame).

7 Ὑμῖν (To you⁺) οὖν (therefore is) ἡ (the) τιμὴ (preciousness) τοῖς (who are) πιστεύουσιν (believing)· ἀπιστοῦσιν (to those disbelieving) δὲ (however)·

Λίθος (The stone) ὃν (that) ἀπεδοκίμασαν (rejected) οἱ (those) οἰκοδομοῦντες (building),

οὗτος (this) ἐγενήθη (became) εἰς (into) κεφαλὴν (the head) γωνίας (of the corner)

8 Καὶ (and)·

Λίθος (A stone) προσκόμματος (of stumbling)

καὶ (and) πέτρα (a rock) σκανδάλου (of offense)·

Οἳ (They) προσκόπτουσιν (stumble) τῷ (at the) λόγῳ (word) ἀπειθοῦντες (being disobedient), εἰς (to) ὃ (which) καὶ (also) ἐτέθησαν (they were appointed)·

9 Ὑμεῖς (You⁺) δὲ (however) γένος (are a kindred) ἐκλεκτόν (chosen), βασίλειον (a royal) ἱεράτευμα (priesthood), ἔθνος (a nation) ἅγιον (holy), λαὸς (a people) εἰς (for) περιποίησιν (His possession), ὅπως (so that) τὰς (the) ἀρετὰς (excellencies) ἐξαγγείλητε (you⁺ may proclaim) τοῦ (of the One) ἐκ (out of) σκότους (darkness) ὑμᾶς (you⁺) καλέσαντος (having called) εἰς (into) τὸ (the) θαυμαστὸν (marvelous) αὐτοῦ (of Him) φῶς (light)· 10 οἵ (who) ποτε (once were) οὐ (not) λαὸς (a people), νῦν (now) δὲ (however are) λαὸς (the people) Θεοῦ (of God), οἱ (those) οὐκ (not) ἠλεημένοι (having received mercy), νῦν (now) δὲ (however) ἐλεηθέντες (having received mercy).

11 Ἀγαπητοί (Beloved), παρακαλῶ (I exhort you) ὡς (as) παροίκους (foreigners) καὶ (and) παρεπιδήμους (sojourners) ἀπέχεσθαι (to abstain) τῶν (from) σαρκικῶν (fleshly) ἐπιθυμιῶν (desires), αἵτινες (which) στρατεύονται (war) κατὰ (against) τῆς (the) ψυχῆς (soul)· 12 τὴν (the) ἀναστροφὴν (conduct) ὑμῶν (of you⁺) ἐν (among) τοῖς (the) ἔθνεσιν (Gentiles) ἔχοντες (having) καλήν (good), ἵνα (so that) ἐν (wherein) ᾧ (which) καταλαλοῦσιν (they speak against) ὑμῶν (you⁺) ὡς (as) κακοποιῶν (evildoers), ἐκ (out of) τῶν (the) καλῶν (good) ἔργων (works) ἐποπτεύοντες (having witnessed) δοξάσωσιν (they may glorify) τὸν (-) Θεὸν (God) ἐν (in) ἡμέρᾳ (the day) ἐπισκοπῆς (of visitation).

Submission to Authorities
(Romans 13:1–7)

13 Ὑποτάγητε (Be in subjection) πάσῃ (to every) ἀνθρωπίνῃ (human) κτίσει (creation) διὰ (because of) τὸν (the) Κύριον (Lord)· εἴτε (whether) βασιλεῖ (to the king) ὡς (as) ὑπερέχοντι (being supreme), 14 εἴτε (or) ἡγεμόσιν (to governors) ὡς (as) δι’ (by) αὐτοῦ (him) πεμπομένοις (being sent) εἰς (for) ἐκδίκησιν (punishment) κακοποιῶν (to evildoers) ἔπαινον (praise) δὲ (then) ἀγαθοποιῶν (to doers of good)· 15 ὅτι (because) οὕτως (this) ἐστὶν (is) τὸ (the) θέλημα (will) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (of God), ἀγαθοποιοῦντας (doing good) φιμοῦν (to put to silence) τὴν (the) τῶν (-) ἀφρόνων (of foolish) ἀνθρώπων (men) ἀγνωσίαν (ignorance)· 16 ὡς (as) ἐλεύθεροι (free), καὶ (and) μὴ (not) ὡς (as) ἐπικάλυμμα (a cover-up) ἔχοντες (having) τῆς (for) κακίας (evil) τὴν (the) ἐλευθερίαν (freedom), ἀλλ’ (but) ὡς (as) Θεοῦ (of God) δοῦλοι (servants). 17 Πάντας (Everyone) τιμήσατε (honor), τὴν (The) ἀδελφότητα (brotherhood) ἀγαπᾶτε (love), τὸν (-) Θεὸν (God) φοβεῖσθε (fear), τὸν (the) βασιλέα (king) τιμᾶτε (honor).

18 Οἱ (-) οἰκέται (Servants), ὑποτασσόμενοι (be subject) ἐν (in) παντὶ (all) φόβῳ (fear) τοῖς (to the) δεσπόταις (masters), οὐ (not) μόνον (only) τοῖς (to the) ἀγαθοῖς (good) καὶ (and) ἐπιεικέσιν (gentle) ἀλλὰ (but) καὶ (also) τοῖς (to the) σκολιοῖς (crooked). 19 τοῦτο (This) γὰρ (for) χάρις (is grace) εἰ (if) διὰ (because of) συνείδησιν (conscience) Θεοῦ (toward God) ὑποφέρει (bears up under) τις (anyone) λύπας (griefs) πάσχων (suffering) ἀδίκως (unjustly). 20 ποῖον (What kind of) γὰρ (for) κλέος (renown is it) εἰ (if) ἁμαρτάνοντες (sinning) καὶ (and) κολαφιζόμενοι (being battered) ὑπομενεῖτε (you⁺ shall endure)? ἀλλ’ (But) εἰ (if) ἀγαθοποιοῦντες (doing good) καὶ (and) πάσχοντες (suffering) ὑπομενεῖτε (you⁺ shall endure), τοῦτο (this is) χάρις (grace) παρὰ (with) Θεῷ (God).

Christ’s Example of Suffering
(Isaiah 53:1–8)

21 Εἰς (To) τοῦτο (this) γὰρ (for) ἐκλήθητε (you⁺ were called), ὅτι (because) καὶ (also) Χριστὸς (Christ) ἔπαθεν (suffered) ὑπὲρ (for) ὑμῶν (you⁺), ὑμῖν (you⁺) ὑπολιμπάνων (leaving) ὑπογραμμὸν (an example) ἵνα (so that) ἐπακολουθήσητε (you⁺ should follow after) τοῖς (the) ἴχνεσιν (footsteps) αὐτοῦ (of Him)·

22 Ὃς (Who) ἁμαρτίαν (sin) οὐκ (no) ἐποίησεν (committed)

οὐδὲ (nor) εὑρέθη (was found) δόλος (deceit) ἐν (in) τῷ (the) στόματι (mouth) αὐτοῦ (of Him)·

23 ὃς (Who) λοιδορούμενος (being reviled)

οὐκ (not) ἀντελοιδόρει (was reviling in return),

πάσχων (suffering) οὐκ (not) ἠπείλει (was threatening),

παρεδίδου (He was giving Himself up) δὲ (however) τῷ (to the One) κρίνοντι (judging) δικαίως (justly)·

24 ὃς (who) τὰς (the) ἁμαρτίας (sins) ἡμῶν (of us) αὐτὸς (Himself) ἀνήνεγκεν (bore)

ἐν (in) τῷ (the) σώματι (body) αὐτοῦ (of Him) ἐπὶ (on) τὸ (the) ξύλον (tree),

ἵνα (so that) ταῖς (-) ἁμαρτίαις (to sins) ἀπογενόμενοι (having been dead)

τῇ (-) δικαιοσύνῃ (to righteousness) ζήσωμεν (we might live)·

Οὗ (by whose) τῷ (-) μώλωπι (stripes) ἰάθητε (you⁺ were healed).

25 Ἦτε (You⁺ were) γὰρ (for) ὡς (like) πρόβατα (sheep) πλανώμενοι (going astray), ἀλλὰ (but) ἐπεστράφητε (you⁺ returned) νῦν (now) ἐπὶ (to) τὸν (the) Ποιμένα (Shepherd) καὶ (and) Ἐπίσκοπον (Overseer) τῶν (of the) ψυχῶν (souls) ὑμῶν (of you⁺).