1 Peter 1:22–2:10

²²Now that by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves and have come to have a sincere love for your fellow-believers, love one another earnestly with all your heart.^{b 23}For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal. ^24*As the scripture says:

“All human beings are like grass,

and all their glory is like wild flowers.

The grass withers, and the flowers fall,

^25*but the word of the Lord remains for ever.”

This word is the Good News that was proclaimed to you.

The Living Stone and the Holy Nation

2Rid yourselves, then, of all evil; no more lying or hypocrisy or jealousy or insulting language. ²Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for the pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved. ^3*As the scripture says, “You have found out for yourselves how kind the Lord is.”

⁴Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable. ⁵Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. ^6*For the scripture says:

“I chose a valuable stone,

which I am placing as the cornerstone in Zion;

and whoever believes in him will never be disappointed.”

^7*This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe:

“The stone which the builders rejected as worthless

turned out to be the most important of all.”

^8*And another scripture says:

“This is the stone that will make people stumble,

the rock that will make them fall.”

They stumbled because they did not believe in the word; such was God’s will for them.

^9*But you are the chosen race, the King’s priests, the holy nation, God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvellous light. ^10*At one time you were not God’s people, but now you are his people; at one time you did not know God’s mercy, but now you have received his mercy.