3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

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

6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be ashamed.

7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, The stone which the builders rejected has become the Head of the corner,

8 and a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the Word, to which they also were appointed.

9 But you are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His possession, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who did not have mercy but now have mercy.

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