1 Peter 2:4–12

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

⁴Coming to Him as to a living stone, ^erejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, ⁵you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

^f“Behold, I lay in Zion

A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,

And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

⁷Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who ²are disobedient,

^g“The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”

⁸and

^h“A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.”

ⁱThey stumble, being disobedient to the word, ^jto which they also were appointed.

⁹But 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 ^kdarkness into His marvelous light; ^10lwho once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Living Before the World

¹¹Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts ^mwhich war against the soul, ¹²ⁿhaving your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^othey may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.