1 Putting away therefore all wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, long for the spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;
3 If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious:
4 Unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,
5 Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
7 For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner;
8 And, A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for `God's' own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.