As Living Stones, God’s Chosen Family
Therefore, alaying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all bslander, 2 alike newborn babies, long for the bpure milk of the word, so that by it you may cgrow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have atasted bthe kindness of the Lord.
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been arejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 ayou also, as living stones, are being built up as a bspiritual house for a holy cpriesthood, to doffer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture:
“aBehold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a bprecious corner stone,
And he who believes upon Him will not be put to shame.”
7 aThis precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,
“bThe stone which the builders crejected,
This has become the chief corner stone,”
8 and,
“aA stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”
bThey stumble because they are disobedient to the word, cand to this stumbling they were also appointed.
9 But you are aa chosen family, a royal bpriesthood, a choly nation, da people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you eout of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 afor you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 aBeloved, bI urge you as csojourners and exiles to abstain from dfleshly lusts which wage ewar against the soul, 12 aby keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they bslander you as evildoers, they may because of your good works, as they observe them, cglorify God din the day of visitation.