3 if you have tasted that the Lord is kind.

4 Coming to him, a living stone, rejected by men but with the Lord chosen and precious,

5 you also as living stones are built up, a spiritual house, and become a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

6 Therefore it is contained in Scripture, "See, I am laying in Zion a chosen stone, an honored corner stone. He who has faith in him will not be put to shame."

7 To you who have faith is the "honor," but to the unbelieving "the stone which the builders rejected \'97 that has become the corner stone,

8 a stone for the foot to strike, a rock to stumble over." Their feet strike the message because of their unbelief, and to this they were destined.

9 But you are a chosen race, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may proclaim the virtues of him who called you from darkness into his wonderful light.

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God: once you had not found compassion, but now you have found compassion.

11 Beloved, I beg you, as foreigners and resident aliens, to shun the passions of the flesh which war against the soul.