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The Mystery of the Church.[a] Come to him, a living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious. 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. 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.”

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,”

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Footnotes

  1. 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.
  2. 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).