1 Peter 2:4-7
New Catholic Bible
The Mystery of the Church.[a] 4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious. 5 You, too, are like living stones, being built up into a spiritual temple and a holy priesthood[b] to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it states in Scripture,
“See, I am laying a stone in Zion,
a cornerstone chosen and precious.
Whoever believes in it
will not be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, it is precious to you who believe. However, for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:4 The following terms—spiritual temple, chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, a people claimed by God as his own possession—were coined by the Old Testament to express Israel’s awareness of itself as a people called upon to carry out God’s plan. The Church regards herself as chosen by God and called to act in such a way that human life itself becomes a worship of God. This passage can be more profoundly understood by reflecting upon 1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:20-22. In verses 9 and 10 citations from the Old Testament occur in this order: Isa 43:20-21; Ex 19:5-6; Hos 1:6-9; 2:23-24. These are reminiscences more than citations.
- 1 Peter 2:5 Holy priesthood: all who are united with Christ by faith share in the priesthood of Christ (see note on Heb 8:6-13).
1 Peter 2:4-7
1599 Geneva Bible
4 [a]To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed of men, but chosen of God and precious,
5 Ye also as lively stones, be made a spiritual house, [b]an holy (A)Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 [c]Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, (B)Behold, I put in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect and precious, and he that believeth therein, shall not be ashamed.
7 [d]Unto you therefore which believe, it is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the (C)stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Peter 2:4 He goeth on forward in the same exhortation, and useth another kind of borrowed speech, alluding to the Temple. Therefore he saith, that the company of the faithful is as it were a certain holy and spiritual building, built of lively stones, the foundation whereof is Christ, as a lively stone sustaining all that are joined unto him with his living virtue, and knitting them together with himself, although this so great a treasure be neglected of men.
- 1 Peter 2:5 Going forward in the same similitude, he compareth us now to Priests placed to this end in that spiritual temple, that we should serve him with spiritual worship, that is, with holiness and righteousness: but as the temple, so is the Priesthood built upon Christ, in whom only all our spiritual offerings are accepted.
- 1 Peter 2:6 He proveth it by the testimony of the Prophet Isaiah.
- 1 Peter 2:7 By setting the most blessed condition of the believers, and the most miserable of the rebellious one against another, he pricketh forward the believers, and triumpheth over the others: and also preventeth an offense which ariseth hereof, that none do more resist this doctrine of the Gospel, than they which are chiefest amongst the people of God, as were at that time that Peter wrote these things, the Priests and Elders, and Scribes. Therefore he answereth first of all that there is no cause why any man should be astonished at this their stubbornness, as though it were a strange matter, seeing that we have been forewarned so long before, that it should so come to pass: and moreover, that it pleased God to create and make certain to this selfsame purpose, that the Son of God might be glorified in their just condemnation. Thirdly, for that the glory of Christ is hereby set forth greatly, whereas notwithstanding Christ remaineth the sure head of his Church, and they that stumble at him, cast down and overthrow themselves, and not Christ. Fourthly, although they be created to this end and purpose, yet their fall and decay is not to be attributeth to God, but to their own obstinate stubbornness which cometh between God’s decree, and the execution thereof or their condemnation, and is the true and proper cause of their destruction.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
