As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by[a] God— you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood[b] to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God(A) through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

See, I lay a stone in Zion,(B)
a chosen and honored[c] cornerstone,(C)
and the one who believes in him
will never be put to shame.[d](D)

So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected—
this one has become the cornerstone,[e](E)

and

A stone to stumble over,
and a rock to trip over.[f](F)

They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined(G) for this.

But you are a chosen race,[g][h](H) a royal priesthood,[i](I) a holy nation,[j](J) a people for his possession,[k](K) so that you may proclaim the praises[l][m](L) of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.(M) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy,(N) but now you have received mercy.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:4 Or precious to
  2. 2:5 Or you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood
  3. 2:6 Or precious
  4. 2:6 Is 28:16 LXX
  5. 2:7 Ps 118:22
  6. 2:8 Is 8:14
  7. 2:9 Or generation, or nation
  8. 2:9 Dt 7:6; 10:15; Is 43:20 LXX
  9. 2:9 Ex 19:6; 23:22 LXX; Is 61:6
  10. 2:9 Ex 19:6; 23:22 LXX
  11. 2:9 Ex 19:5; 23:22 LXX; Dt 4:20; 7:6; Is 43:21 LXX
  12. 2:9 Or the mighty deeds
  13. 2:9 Is 42:12; 43:21

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