So get rid of every kind of evil. Stop telling lies. Don’t pretend to be something you are not. Stop wanting what others have. Don’t speak against each other.

2Like babies that were just born, you should long for the pure milk of God’s word. It will help you grow up as believers. 3You can do it now that you have tasted how good the Lord is.

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

4Christ is the living Stone. People did not accept him. But God chose him. God places the highest value on him.

5You also are like living stones. As you come to him you are being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests. You will offer spiritual sacrifices. God will accept them because of what Jesus Christ has done.

6In Scripture it says,

“Look! I am placing a stone in Zion.

It is a chosen and very valuable stone.

It is the most important stone in the building.

The one who trusts in him

will never be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16)

7The stone is very valuable to you who believe. But to people who do not believe,

“The stone the builders did not accept

has become the most important stone of all.” (Psalm 118:22)

8And,

“It is a stone that causes people to trip.

It is a rock that makes them fall.” (Isaiah 8:14)

They trip and fall because they do not obey the message. That is also what God planned for them.

9But God chose you to be his people. You are royal priests. You are a holy nation. You are a people who belong to God. All of this is so that you can sing his praises. He brought you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people. But now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy. But now you have received mercy.