1 PET 2:9 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for possession, so that you might proclaim the praiseworthy actions of the one having called you out from darkness into his marvelous light,

UST In contrast to them, you believers are people whom God has chosen for himself. You are like a group of priests who worship God and rule with him. You are a people group that God has set apart for himself. You are a people who belong to God so that you might declare the praiseworthy things he has done. He has called you out of your former manner of living, when you were sinful and ignorant about God, and he has made you understand the wonderful true things about himself.

BLB But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of the One having called you out of darkness into His marvelous light,

AICNT But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.[fn]

2:9, Isaiah 43:20 LXX, Exodus 19:16 LXX

OEB But you are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, God’s own people,” entrusted with the proclamation of the goodness of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

CSB But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

NLT But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

NIV But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

CEV But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things he has done. The Scriptures say,

ESV But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

NASB But you are A CHOSEN RACE, 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;

LSB But you are A CHOSEN FAMILY, 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;

WEBBE But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(9-10)But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
* * *

NET But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

LSV But you [are] a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired, that you may show forth the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light,

FBV In complete contrast, you are a specially-chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. Consequently you can reveal the wonderful things he's done, calling you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

TCNT But you are a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

T4T But you are people whom God has chosen to belong to him. You are a group that represents God like priests do, and you rule with God [MET] like kings. You are ◄a holy group of people/a group of people who are separate from evil►. You are people who belong to God. This is in order that you might proclaim the virtues of God. He has called you from your former ways, when you were ignorant of his truth, into the marvelous understanding that he gives us [MET]. That is, he has called you out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light.

LEB But you are a chosen race,[fn] a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

2:9 Or “people,” or “generation,” or “nation”

NRSV But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

NKJV But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

NAB But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

BBE But you are a special people, a holy nation, priests and kings, a people given up completely to God, so that you may make clear the virtues of him who took you out of the dark into the light of heaven.

Moff But you are the elect race, the royal priesthood, the consecrated nation, the People who belong to Him, that you may proclaim the wondrous deeds of Him who has called you from darkness to his wonderful light--

Wymth But you are a chosen race, a priesthood of kingly lineage, a holy nation, a people belonging specially to God, that you may make known the perfections of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.

ASV But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

DRA But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

YLT and ye [are] a choice race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired, that the excellences ye may shew forth of Him who out of darkness did call you to His wondrous light;

Drby But ye [are] a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness to his wonderful light;

RV But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may shew forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
(But ye/you_all are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye/you_all may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: )

SLT And ye a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for acquisition; so that ye should proclaim the excellencies of him having called you out of darkness into his wonderful light:

Wbstr But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

KJB-1769 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
(But ye/you_all are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye/you_all should show forth the praises of him who hath/has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: )

KJB-1611 But yee are a chosen generation, a royall Priesthood, an holy nation, a [fn]peculiar people, that yee should shewe forth the [fn]praises of him, who hath called you out of darknes into his marueilous light:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes)

2:9 Or, a purchased people.

2:9 Or, vertues

Bshps But ye are a chosen generation, a royall priesthood, an holy nation, a peculier people: that ye should shewe foorth the vertues of hym that called you out of darknesse into his marueylous lyght.
(But ye/you_all are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculier people: that ye/you_all should show forth the virtues of him that called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.)

Gnva But yee are a chosen generation, a royall Priesthoode, an holy nation, a people set at libertie, that yee shoulde shewe foorth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darkenesse into his marueilous light,
(But ye/you_all are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthoode, an holy nation, a people set at liberty, that ye/you_all should show forth the virtues of him that hath/has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, )

Cvdl But ye are that chosen generacion, that kyngly presthode, that holy nacion, that peculier people, yt ye shulde shewe the vertues of him, which hath called you out of darknesse in to his maruelous lighte:
(But ye/you_all are that chosen generation, that kyngly priesthood, that holy nation, that peculier people, it ye/you_all should show the virtues of him, which hath/has called you out of darkness in to his marvellous lighte:)

TNT But ye are a chosyn generacion a royall presthod an holy nacion and a peculiar people that ye shuld shewe the vertues of him that called you out of darknes into hys marvelous light
(But ye/you_all are a chosyn generation a royal priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people that ye/you_all should show the virtues of him that called you out of darkness into his marvellous light )

Wycl But ye ben a chosun kyn, a kyngli preesthod, hooli folc, a puple of purchasing, that ye telle the vertues of hym, that clepide you fro derknessis in to his wondirful liyt.
(But ye/you_all been a chosen kyn, a kyngli priesthood, holy folk/people, a people of purchasing, that ye/you_all tell the virtues of him, that called you from darkness in to his wondirful light.)

Luth Ihr aber seid das auserwählte Geschlecht, das königliche Priestertum, das heilige Volk, das Volk des Eigentums, daß ihr verkündigen sollt die Tugenden des, der euch berufen hat von der Finsternis zu seinem wunderbaren Licht,
(You(pl) but are the chosene descendant, the royal priesthood, the holy people, the people the Eigentums, that you(pl)/their/her announce should the Tugenden of, the/of_the you appointed has from the/of_the darkness to/for his sore/rawerbaren light(n),)

ClVg Vos autem genus electum, regale sacerdotium, gens sancta, populus acquisitionis: ut virtutes annuntietis ejus qui de tenebris vos vocavit in admirabile lumen suum.[fn]
(You(pl) however kind/class chosen, regale priesthood, nation holy, the_people acquisitionis: as by_virtues annuntietis his who/which from/about darkness you(pl) he_called in/into/on admirabile the_light his_own. )

2.9 Vos autem genus electum. Hoc testimonium laudis quondam antiquo populo per Moysen datum Gentibus dat Apostolus, qui in Christum credunt: qui veluti lapis angularis in eam quam in se Isræl salutem habuerat, gentes adunavit. Regale sacerdotium. Summi sacerdotis corpori uniti, qui regnum sperare, et hostias immaculatæ conversationis Deo offerre debebant. Acquisitionis, in sanguine redemptionis ejus sicut erat quondam populus Isræl redemptus sanguine agni de Ægypto. Unde et in sequenti versu mystice recordatur veteris historiæ, et hanc specialiter in uno populo impletam docet. Annuntietis. BEDA. Sicut liberati de Ægypto, triumphale carmen Domino cantaverunt, ita nos post tenebras dissolutas, post acceptam remissionem per Christum qui nos ducit ad patriam supernæ claritatis debemus Deo rependere gratias dignas cœlestibus beneficiis.

2.9 You(pl) however kind/class chosen. This testimony of_praise once anciently to_the_people through Moysen given/present(n) Gentibus gives Apostolus, who/which in/into/on Christ/Messiah they_believe: who/which like/asi stone angularis in/into/on her how in/into/on himself Israel health had_had, people/nations adunavit. Regale priesthood. Summi of_the_priest to_the_body uniti, who/which kingdom to_hope, and sacrifices immaculatæ conversation to_God to_offer debebant. Acquisitionis, in/into/on blood redemption his like was once the_people Israel redemptus blood lamb from/about to_Egypt. From_where/who and in/into/on following versu mystically recordatur olds history, and this specially in/into/on one to_the_people filledm teaches. Annuntietis. BEDA. Like liberated from/about to_Egypt, triumphale carmen Master cantaverunt, so/thus us after darkness dissolutas, after acceptam remission through Christ/Messiah who/which us leads to homeland above claritatis we_must to_God rependere graces worthys heavenly benefits.

UGNT ὑμεῖς δὲ γένος ἐκλεκτόν, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον, λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν, ὅπως τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐξαγγείλητε, τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος, εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς;
(humeis de genos eklekton, basileion hierateuma, ethnos hagion, laos eis peripoiaʸsin, hopōs tas aretas exangeilaʸte, tou ek skotous humas kalesantos, eis to thaumaston autou fōs;)

SBL-GNT Ὑμεῖς δὲ γένος ἐκλεκτόν, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον, λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν, ὅπως τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς·
(Humeis de genos eklekton, basileion hierateuma, ethnos hagion, laos eis peripoiaʸsin, hopōs tas aretas exangeilaʸte tou ek skotous humas kalesantos eis to thaumaston autou fōs;)

RP-GNT Ὑμεῖς δὲ γένος ἐκλεκτόν, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον, λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν, ὅπως τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς·
(Humeis de genos eklekton, basileion hierateuma, ethnos hagion, laos eis peripoiaʸsin, hopōs tas aretas exangeilaʸte tou ek skotous humas kalesantos eis to thaumaston autou fōs;)

TC-GNT Ὑμεῖς δὲ γένος ἐκλεκτόν, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον, λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν, ὅπως τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς·
(Humeis de genos eklekton, basileion hierateuma, ethnos hagion, laos eis peripoiaʸsin, hopōs tas aretas exangeilaʸte tou ek skotous humas kalesantos eis to thaumaston autou fōs; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–12: Christ is the cornerstone and believers are his holy people

In this section Peter used illustrations from the Old Testament to describe how important Christ was and how holy Christians should be. Christ was like the most important stone in a building. Christians belong to him and so should live holy lives.

Some other headings for this section are:

Live as God’s Chosen People (GW)

A Living Stone and a Holy People (CEV)

Paragraph 2:9–10

In this paragraph, Peter described the honorable status that God had given his readers. He used titles that OT writers had used to speak of the people of Israel.For examples, see Exodus 19:5–6; 23:22 (LXX); Deuteronomy 4:20, 7:6, 14:2; Isaiah 43:20–21. Many of Peter’s readers were not Jews. Peter meant that all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, are now united as God’s chosen people.

2:9a

But you are a chosen people,

¶ But as for you, you are a people/race chosen by God.
¶ But you are different from them. God chose you who believe to be his tribe/group.
¶ However, God selected/picked you to make you his people,

But you are: The Greek words that the BSB translates as But you are mark a contrast between the fate of unbelievers and the honor that God gives believers. Other ways you may be able to show this contrast include:

But as for you, you are…

But you are different from them. You who believe are…

a chosen people: The Greek word that the BSB translates as people often refers to a distinct large group of people who are related to each other by a blood relationship. Believers are not literally one race, but they are spiritually brothers and sisters, in that God is their heavenly Father.

Many English versions have translated people as “race.” For example:

a chosen race (RSV)

chosen: The Greek word that the BSB translates here as chosenPeter used a form of eklektos in 1:1, but the context is different. is also found at 2:4b and 2:6c. It is a passive verb. If in your language you must use an active verb and say who did the choosing, then you may make it explicit that it is God who chooses his people. For example:

But you are God’s chosen…people. (CEV)

You, however, are the people God has chosen.

But you are different. God chose you.

2:9b

a royal priesthood,

You are a royal order of priests.
You are a priesthood that belongs to God the king.
a group of priests who serve God the king,

a royal priesthood: The Greek word that the BSB translates as royal may be translated as:

an adjective, meaning royal, or belonging to the king. For example:
the King’s priests (GNT) (BSB, GW, NCV, CEV, KJV, NASB, NET, NIV, REB, RSV, GNT)
a noun, meaning kingdom. The believers are priests who together form a nation ruled by a king. For example:
a kingdom of priests (NJB) (NLT, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) as most English versions do. The priesthood is royal in the sense that it belongs to or serves the king, who is God.

priesthood: The Greek word that the BSB translates here as priesthood occurs in only one other place in the New Testament, at 2:5b. See how you translated it there. It is recommended that you also translate it here in a way that shows that the believers together form a priesthood.

2:9c

a holy nation,

You are a holy nation,
You are a nation that God has set apart as his own.
a nation/people he dedicated to serve him,

a holy nation: Peter continued to describe the church in terms borrowed from the Old Testament. Like the people of Israel in the Old Testament, all believers in Christ together form a holy nation.

holy: The Greek word that the BSB translates as holy here means “set apart for God” or “dedicated to God.” God chose believers to be in fellowship with him, dedicated to serve him willingly. See how you translated holy in 1:15 and 1:16. Here is another way to translate this word:

dedicated (REB)

nation: The Greek word that the BSB translates as nation is different from the one translated as “people” or “race” in 2:9a. However, these two Greek words had a similar meaning. A nation was a group of people linked or united by language or culture or race.

2:9d

a people for God’s own possession,

a people that belongs to God.
You are God’s very own people.
to belong just/only to God.

a people for God’s own possession: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as a people for God’s own possession is literally “a people for possession.” The BSB has supplied the word God in order to make the meaning clear. Some English translations simply supply the pronoun “his”:

a people of his own (NET)

a people: The Greek word that the BSB translates as a people is similar in meaning to the words translated as “people” in 2:9a and “nation” in 2:9c. You should use the word in your language that is most accurate and natural, even if it is one of the words that you have already used in this verse.

2:9e

to proclaim the virtues of Him

He/God did this so that you would tell other people about the wonderful things he did for you.
He/God chose you to be his people so that you would make known his great deeds/acts.

to: The Greek word that the BSB translates as to introduces the purpose for which God chose Christians to be his own holy people. Some ways to translate this include:

in order that… (NRSV)

You were chosen to… (NCV)

so that… (NET)

proclaim the virtues of Him: God chose the believers and made of them a priesthood and holy nation for a purpose. He intended them to tell other people the wonderful things that God has done.

proclaim: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as proclaim can also be translated as:

make known

declare (NIV)

tell (CEV)

Your language may require you to say to whom the believers were to make these things known. In that case you may be able to say:

for you to make known to people

for you to tell other people

the virtues of Him: There are several ways to interpret the Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the virtues of Him:

It refers to the wonderful things that God has done. For example:
the wonderful acts of God (GNT) (CEV, NCV, RSV, REB, GNT)
It refers to the virtues or excellencies of God, the attributes of God. For example:
the excellent qualities of God (GW) (BSB, NASB, NLT, NET, GW)
It refers to the words of praise spoken about God by his people. For example:
the praises of God (NJB) (KJV, NIV, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), which has the support of leading commentaries.

2:9f

who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

He called/brought you out of the dark to live in his wonderful/marvellous light.
You are to tell others about how he summoned/led you out of the darkness of sin and death and into his amazing light/brightness.

who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: Peter was referring to God. God is the one who called Peter’s readers out of darkness and into…light. This is one of the wonderful deeds for which Peter’s readers were to praise him. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. You may want to begin a new sentence here:

For God called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

called: If in your language a verb like called is unnatural in this context, then you may be able to say something like:

brought (CEV)

summoned

led

darkness: Here, darkness is a metaphor representing the miserable condition of unbelievers because of their sinfulness. Peter’s readers were in that darkness before they became reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. By believing in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they moved out of the darkness of sin and into the light of God. Another way to translate this is:

spiritual darkness

marvelous: Other ways to translate the Greek word that the BSB translates as marvelous include:

wonderful (NIV)

amazing (JBP)

light: Here, light is a metaphor for the goodness, purity and truth that come from God. Another way to translate this is:

spiritual light

General Comment on 2:9

It may be more natural in your language to make explicit that each of the phrases in 2:9 identifies the believers as being God’s people. For example, the JBP shows this by making explicit that they are “his”:

But you are God’s “chosen generation,” his “royal priesthood,” his “holy nation,” his “peculiar people”…. It is for you now to demonstrate the goodness of him who has called you out of darkness into his amazing light. (Underlining added.)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks

γένος ἐκλεκτόν, βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, ἔθνος ἅγιον, λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὑμεῖς Δέ Γένος ἐκλεκτόν Βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα ἔθνος ἅγιον λαός εἰς περιποίησιν ὅπως τάς ἀρετάς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τό θαυμαστόν αὐτοῦ φῶς)

All four of these phrases are quotations from the Old Testament. The phrase a chosen people is from [Isaiah 43:20](../isa/43/20.md), a royal priesthood and a holy nation are from [Exodus 19:6](../exo/19/06.md), and a people for possession is from [Isaiah 43:21](../isa/43/21.md). It may be helpful for your readers to indicate these quotations with quotation marks or with whatever punctuation or convention your language uses to indicate quotations.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

γένος ἐκλεκτόν

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [a family whom God has chosen]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα

This could refer to: (1) members of a priesthood who are also members of the king’s family. Alternate translation: [a kingly priesthood] (2) a priesthood which serves the king. Alternate translation: [a priesthood which serves the king]

Note 4 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα

The word priesthood is a singular noun that refers to a group of priests. If your language does not use singular nouns in that way, you can use a different expression. Alternate translation: [a group of royal priests]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

λαὸς εἰς περιποίησιν

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of possession, you can express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [a people for God to possess]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος, εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς

˱of˲_the_‹one› out_of darkness you_all ˓having˒_called to (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὑμεῖς Δέ Γένος ἐκλεκτόν Βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα ἔθνος ἅγιον λαός εἰς περιποίησιν ὅπως τάς ἀρετάς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τό θαυμαστόν αὐτοῦ φῶς)

This clause refers to God. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning explicitly. Alternate translation: [of God, who called you from darkness into his marvelous light]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐκ σκότους & εἰς τὸ θαυμαστὸν αὐτοῦ φῶς

out_of darkness & to (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὑμεῖς Δέ Γένος ἐκλεκτόν Βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα ἔθνος ἅγιον λαός εἰς περιποίησιν ὅπως τάς ἀρετάς ἐξαγγείλητε τοῦ ἐκ σκότους ὑμᾶς καλέσαντος εἰς τό θαυμαστόν αὐτοῦ φῶς)

Here, darkness refers to the condition of people who do not know God and are sinful, and light refers to the condition of people who know God and are righteous. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly or use similes. Alternate translation: [from a life of sin and ignorance of God to a life of knowing and pleasing him]

Parallel 1 PET 2:9