For it says ¹  in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, ²  and whoever believes ³  in him ⁴  will never ⁵  be put to shame.” ⁶ 

So ¹  they are astonished ²  when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you. ³ 

For all flesh ¹  is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; ²  the grass withers and the flower falls off,

and a stumbling-stone ¹  and a rock to trip over. ²  They stumble ³  because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. ⁴ 

For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep ¹  his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit.

Yet do it with courtesy and respect, ¹  keeping a good conscience, so that those who slander your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame when they accuse you. ² 

and maintain good conduct ¹  among the non-Christians, ²  so that though ³  they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. ⁴ 

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless ¹  others ²  because you were called to inherit a blessing.

after they were disobedient long ago ¹  when God patiently waited ²  in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark ³  a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, ¹  who is the Spirit of God, ²  rests ³  on you.

Whoever speaks, let it be with ¹  God’s words. ²  Whoever serves, do so with the strength ³  that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong ⁴  the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.