A Living Stone and a Holy People
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Therefore, a laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
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b as newborn babes, desire the pure c milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
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if indeed you have d tasted that the Lord is gracious.
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Coming to Him as to a living stone, e rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
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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.
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Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
f "Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."
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Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
g "The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,"
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and
h "A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense."
i They stumble, being disobedient to the word, j to which they also were appointed.
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But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of k darkness into His marvelous light;
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l who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
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Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts m which war against the soul,
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n having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, o they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
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Cross References
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
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Cross References
Matthew 18:3
And said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14
But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 10:15
"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
Luke 18:17
"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 3:2
I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able.
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Cross References
Psalms 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Titus 3:4
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared.
Hebrews 6:5
And have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.
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Cross References
Psalms 118:22
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
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Cross References
Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.
Romans 9:32
Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.
Romans 9:33
As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.
Romans 10:11
For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.
1 Peter 2:8
And "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
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Cross References
Psalms 118:22
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
Matthew 21:42
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes' ?
Luke 2:34
Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against
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Cross References
Isaiah 8:14
He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 1:23
But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.
Galatians 5:11
And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.
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Cross References
Romans 9:22
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction.
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Cross References
Isaiah 9:2
The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
Isaiah 42:16
I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.
Acts 26:18
'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'
2 Corinthians 4:6
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
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Cross References
Hosea 1:9
Then God said: "Call his name LoAmmi, For you are not My people, And I will not be your God.
Hosea 1:10
"Yet the number of the children of Israel Shall be as the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass In the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' There it shall be said to them, 'You are sons of the living God.'
Hosea 2:23
Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; Then I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they shall say, 'You are my God!'
Romans 9:25
As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.
Romans 10:19
But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.
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Cross References
Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
James 4:1
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
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Cross References
2 Corinthians 8:21
Providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
Philippians 2:15
That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Titus 2:8
Sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
1 Peter 2:15
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men -
1 Peter 3:16
Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
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Cross References
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 9:8
Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.
John 13:31
So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:16
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.