1. Therefore put away all wickedness, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking.
2. As newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow,
3. if it is true that you have experienced that the Lord is good.
4. Coming to Him as to a living stone who is rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious,
5. you also, as living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house as a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6. For also it is contained in the Scripture, “Look! I lay in Ziona chief cornerstone, elect, precious,and he who believes in Himshall never be put to shame.”
7. Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious. But to those who are disobedient, “The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone,”
8. and, “A stone of stumbling,and a rock of offense.”They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, to which also they were appointed.
9. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may declare the goodness of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
10. In times past, you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.