3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious. 5 You also as living stones are built up as 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 cornerstone, chosen and precious.

He who believes in him will not be disappointed."

7 For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient,

"The stone which the builders rejected

has become the chief cornerstone,"

8 and,

"a stumbling stone and a rock of offense."

For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 In the past, you were not a people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11 Beloved, I beg you as foreigners and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,