Ye also as lively stones, be made a spiritual house, [a]an holy (A)Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

[b]Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, (B)Behold, I put in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect and precious, and he that believeth therein, shall not be ashamed.

[c]Unto you therefore which believe, it is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the (C)stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Going forward in the same similitude, he compareth us now to Priests placed to this end in that spiritual temple, that we should serve him with spiritual worship, that is, with holiness and righteousness: but as the temple, so is the Priesthood built upon Christ, in whom only all our spiritual offerings are accepted.
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 He proveth it by the testimony of the Prophet Isaiah.
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 By setting the most blessed condition of the believers, and the most miserable of the rebellious one against another, he pricketh forward the believers, and triumpheth over the others: and also preventeth an offense which ariseth hereof, that none do more resist this doctrine of the Gospel, than they which are chiefest amongst the people of God, as were at that time that Peter wrote these things, the Priests and Elders, and Scribes. Therefore he answereth first of all that there is no cause why any man should be astonished at this their stubbornness, as though it were a strange matter, seeing that we have been forewarned so long before, that it should so come to pass: and moreover, that it pleased God to create and make certain to this selfsame purpose, that the Son of God might be glorified in their just condemnation. Thirdly, for that the glory of Christ is hereby set forth greatly, whereas notwithstanding Christ remaineth the sure head of his Church, and they that stumble at him, cast down and overthrow themselves, and not Christ. Fourthly, although they be created to this end and purpose, yet their fall and decay is not to be attributeth to God, but to their own obstinate stubbornness which cometh between God’s decree, and the execution thereof or their condemnation, and is the true and proper cause of their destruction.

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