1 Peter 2:1-10 (New King James Version)

1 Peter 2

 ¹ Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,^{[a] 3} if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

   
⁴ Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected 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,


      “ Behold, I lay in Zion
      A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
      And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”<sup>[b]

7</sup> Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,^[c]


      “ The stone which the builders rejected
      Has become the chief cornerstone,”^[d]

 ⁸ and


      “ A stone of stumbling
      And a rock of offense.”^[e]

   They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to 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 darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.