2 Therefore, alaying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 bas newborn babes, desire the pure cmilk of the word, that you may grow 1thereby, 3 if indeed you have dtasted that the Lord is gracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, erejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you 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. 6 Therefore 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.”

7 Therefore, 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,”

8 and

h“A stone of stumbling

And a rock of offense.”

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

9 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 kdarkness into His marvelous light; 10 lwho 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

11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts mwhich war against the soul, 12 nhaving 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.