1 Peter 1:22-2:10

New American Standard Bible

²²Since you have ^(A)purified your souls ^(B)in obedience to the truth for a ^(C)sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from ^[a]the heart, ²³for you have been ^(D)born again ^(E)not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring ^(F)word of God. ²⁴For,

“^(G)All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory is like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
²⁵^(H)But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is ^(I)the word which was ^[b]preached to you.

As Newborn Babes

2 Therefore, ^(J)rid yourselves of all ^[c]malice and all deceit and ^[d]hypocrisy and ^[e]envy and all ^[f]^(K)slander, ²^(L)and like newborn babies, long for the ^[g]^(M)pure ^[h]milk of the word, so that by it you may ^(N)grow ^[i]in respect to salvation, ³if you have ^(O)tasted ^[j]^(P)the kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

⁴And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been ^(Q)rejected by people, but is ^[k]choice and precious in the sight of God, ⁵^(R)you also, as living stones, ^[l]are being built up as a ^(S)spiritual house for a holy ^(T)priesthood, to ^(U)offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For this is contained in ^[m]Scripture:

“^(V)Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a ^(W)precious cornerstone,
And the one who believes in ^[n]Him will not be ^[o]put to shame.”

⁷^(X)This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers,

“^(Y)A stone which the builders ^(Z)rejected,
This became the ^[p]chief cornerstone,”

⁸and,

“^(AA)A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

^(AB)for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, ^(AC)and to this they were also appointed.

⁹But you are ^(AD)a chosen people, a royal ^(AE)priesthood, a ^(AF)holy nation, ^(AG)a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you ^(AH)out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰^(AI)for 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.