1 Peter 2:1-12 - Chosen As Living Stones

¹ Having, therefore, put away all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envies, and all evil speakings, ² as new-born babes, long ye for the spiritual, unadulterated milk, that thereby ye may grow unto salvation, ³ if ye tasted that the Lord is gracious; ⁴ to Whom coming, a Living Stone, rejected, indeed, by men, but with God Elect, Precious, ⁵ ye yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ Because it is contained in Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a Chief Corner-Stone, Elect, Precious; and he who believes on Him shall in nowise be put to shame."

⁷ To you, therefore, who believe is the preciousness; but to those who disbelieve, a stone which the builders rejected, this was made into a head of a corner,"

⁸ and "a stone of stumbling, and rock of offense"; who stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which also they were appointed.

⁹ But ye are "an elect race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation," a people for a possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people, but are now God's people; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

¹¹ Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly desires, which, indeed, war against the soul; ¹² having your conduct seemly among the gentiles; that, wherein they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, from your good works which they behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.