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The Living Stone and a Chosen People

Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander.(A) Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation(B) if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.[a](C)

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones let yourselves be built[b] into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(D) For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”(E)

This honor, then, is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,[c]

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the very head of the corner,”(F)

and

“A stone that makes them stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.(G)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,[d] in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.(H)

10 Once you were not a people,
    but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
    but now you have received mercy.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 2.3 Or kind
  2. 2.5 Or you yourselves are being built
  3. 2.7 Other ancient authorities read obey
  4. 2.9 Gk a people for his possession

Therefore, rid yourselves(A) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander(B) of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(C) so that by it you may grow up(D) in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.(E)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

As you come to him, the living Stone(F)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(G) and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built(H) into a spiritual house[a](I) to be a holy priesthood,(J) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(K) For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,(L)
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”[b](M)

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,(N)

“The stone the builders rejected(O)
    has become the cornerstone,”[c](P)

and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”[d](Q)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(R)

But you are a chosen people,(S) a royal priesthood,(T) a holy nation,(U) God’s special possession,(V) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(W) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(X) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
  4. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

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