3 if you{} have tasted that the Lord is gracious:

4 to whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious,

5 you{} 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, Look, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he who believes on him will 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 offense; for they stumble at the word, being disobedient: to which also they were appointed.

9 But you{} are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that you{} may show forth the excellencies of him who called you{} out of darkness into his marvelous 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.

11 Beloved, I urge you{} as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly desires, which war against the soul;