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Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
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as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
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if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
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Coming to Him as to a living stone, 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, "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, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,"
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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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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 darkness into His marvelous light;
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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 which war against the soul,