Study Desk

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

because it is written: "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you

Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from the heart,

for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

For, "ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY IS LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I AM LAYING IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE, AND THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME."

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers, "A STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,"

and, "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed.

But you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR GOD'S OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,

or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

For such is the will of God, that by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish people.