5 You also are like living stones, and God is using you to build a spiritual house. You are to serve God in this house as holy priests, offering him spiritual sacrifices that he will accept because of Jesus Christ.
6 The Scriptures say, “Look, I have chosen a cornerstone of great value, and I put that stone in Zion. Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed.” Isaiah 28:16
7 So, that stone brings honor for you who believe. But for those who don’t believe he is “the stone that the builders refused to accept, which became the most important stone.” Psalm 118:22
8 For them he is also “a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes people fall.” Isaiah 8:14 People stumble because they don’t obey what God says. This is what God planned to happen to those people.
9 But you are his chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into his wonderful light.
10 In the past you were not a special people, but now you are God’s people. Once you had not received mercy, but now God has given you his mercy.
11 Dear friends, you are like visitors and strangers in this world. So I beg you to keep your lives free from the evil things you want to do, those desires that fight against your true selves.