7 Therefore, to you who are the ma'aminim [in Moshiach] this EVEN ("Stone") is YIKRAT ("precious" YESHAYAH 28:16), but to the Apikorosim (Unbelievers): EVEN MA'ASU HABONIM HAY'TAH LEROSH PINAH ("The Stone which the ones building rejected became the head of the corner" TEHILLIM 118:22 [YESHAYAH 53:3]).
8 And EVEN NEGEF U'L'TZUR MICHSHOL ("a stone for stumbling over and a rock for falling over" YESHAYAH 8:14). They stumble because they have no mishma'at (obedience 1:2,14,22; 4:17) to the Dvar Hashem which is also what they were appointed for [2K 2:9,12,17; Yd 1:4; Ro 9:14-24].
9 But you are an AM NIVCHAR ("a chosen people" YESHAYAH 43:20; SHEMOT 6:7), a MAMLECHET KOHANIM ("a kingdom of priests, royal priests" Ex 19:6), a GOY KADOSH ("a holy nation" Ex 19:6), an AM SEGULLAH ("a people of treasured possession" Ex 19:5; Mal 3:17), for this purpose: that you may declare the wondrous deeds of the One who gave you the kri'ah (calling) and summoned you out of choshech into his marvelous ohr [Isa 43:21; 42:12].
10 You, who once were LO AMI ("not My people" Hos 1:9) but now AMI ATAH ("My people you are" Hos 2:25), the AM Hashem ("the people of G-d"), the ones having not received rachamim, but now having received rachamim (Hos 2:25).
11 Chaverim, I say "Chazak (Be Strong)!" to you as aliens and exiles (1:1,17), exhorting you to abstain from fleshly ta'avot (lusts) which make milchamah (war) against the neshamah.
12 Let your hitnahagut (conduct) among the Goyim show feste (excellent) midas chasidus (trait of piety) that, wherein they speak against you as anshei resha (men of wickedness), by observing your ma'asim tovim they may glorify Hashem in the YOM PEKUDDAH ("Day of Visitation, Reckoning" [Isa 10:3]).
13 Submit [2:18; 3:1] to every created human memshalah (governing authority) because of Hashem, whether to a Melech (King) as being HaRosh,