Book of Common Prayer

⁴ to whom you come as to a living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God, and precious.

⁵ And you, as living stones, are made a spiritual house, and a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ Of this it is contained in the scripture: Behold, I put in Zion a head cornerstone, elect and precious; and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.

⁷ To you therefore who believe, he is precious. But to those who do not believe, the stone which the builders refused is made the head stone in the corner, ⁸ and a stone to stumble at, and a rock to offend those who stumble at the word and do not believe that whereon they were set.

⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and his own special people, in order that you should show forth the virtues of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light – ¹⁰ you who in time past were not a people, yet are now the people of God; who were not under mercy, but now have obtained mercy.