1 Peter 1:17-2:10

New International Version

¹⁷Since you call on a Father^(A) who judges each person’s work^(B) impartially,^(C) live out your time as foreigners^(D) here in reverent fear.^(E) ¹⁸For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed^(F) from the empty way of life^(G) handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹but with the precious blood^(H) of Christ, a lamb^(I) without blemish or defect.^(J) ²⁰He was chosen before the creation of the world,^(K) but was revealed in these last times^(L) for your sake. ²¹Through him you believe in God,^(M) who raised him from the dead^(N) and glorified him,^(O) and so your faith and hope^(P) are in God.

²²Now that you have purified^(Q) yourselves by obeying^(R) the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply,^(S) from the heart.^[a] ²³For you have been born again,^(T) not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,^(U) through the living and enduring word of God.^(V) ²⁴For,

“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
²⁵ but the word of the Lord endures forever.”^[b]^(W)

And this is the word that was preached to you.

2 Therefore, rid yourselves^(X) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander^(Y) of every kind. ²Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,^(Z) so that by it you may grow up^(AA) in your salvation, ³now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.^(AB)

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

⁴As you come to him, the living Stone^(AC)—rejected by humans but chosen by God^(AD) and precious to him— ⁵you also, like living stones, are being built^(AE) into a spiritual house^[c]^(AF) to be a holy priesthood,^(AG) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.^(AH) ⁶For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,^(AI)
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”^[d]^(AJ)

⁷Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,^(AK)

“The stone the builders rejected^(AL)
has become the cornerstone,”^[e]^(AM)

⁸and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”^[f]^(AN)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.^(AO)

⁹But you are a chosen people,^(AP) a royal priesthood,^(AQ) a holy nation,^(AR) God’s special possession,^(AS) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^(AT) ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(AU) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.