1 Peter 2:4-12

English Standard Version

⁴As you come to him, a living stone ^(A)rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵^(B)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as ^(C)a spiritual house, to be ^(D)a holy priesthood, ^(E)to offer spiritual sacrifices ^(F)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶For it stands in Scripture:

^(G)“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
^(H)and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

⁷So the honor is for you who ^(I)believe, but for those who ^(J)do not believe,

^(K)“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”^[a]

⁸and

^(L)“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, ^(M)as they were destined to do.

⁹But you are ^(N)a chosen race, ^(O)a royal ^(P)priesthood, ^(Q)a holy nation, ^(R)a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you ^(S)out of darkness into ^(T)his marvelous light. ¹⁰^(U)Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹Beloved, I urge you ^(V)as sojourners and exiles ^(W)to abstain from the passions of the flesh, ^(X)which wage war against your soul. ¹²^(Y)Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, ^(Z)they may see your good deeds and glorify God on ^(AA)the day of visitation.