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- Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
- like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
- if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
- And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
- you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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- Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
- Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
- now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
- As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--
- 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.
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- For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
- This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,"
- and, "A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
- But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
- for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
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- For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
- Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,"
- and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they disobey the message--which is also what they were destined for.
- 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.
- 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.
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