4 The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: 6 "See, I lay a stone in Zion, 6 a chosen and precious cornerstone, 6 and the one who trusts in him 6 will never be put to shame."[a]
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 7 "The stone the builders rejected 7 has become the capstone,[b] "[c]
8 and, 8 "A stone that causes men to stumble 8 and a rock that makes them fall."[d] 8 They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
