1 Peter 2:4-12

New King James Version

The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People^(A)

⁴Coming to Him as to a living stone, ^(B)rejected 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,

^(C)“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 ^[a]are disobedient,

^(D)“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”

⁸and

^(E)“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”

^(F)They stumble, being disobedient to the word, ^(G)to 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 ^(H)darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰^(I)who 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 ^(J)which war against the soul, ¹²^(K)having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^(L)they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.