4 As you all approach the living building-stone (which was rejected by humans yet chosen and honoured by God), 5 you are being built into a temple and joining a holy group of priests to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Yeshua the messiah, 6 [ref]because it’s written in the scriptures:

‘Look, I’m placing a building-stone in Tsiyyon/Zion,

the vital cornerstone that’s chosen and honoured,

and anyone who believes in him certainly won’t be disgraced.’

7 [ref]To all of you who believe, this cornerstone is valuable, but to those who don’t believe:

‘The building-stone which the builders rejected

ended up becoming the vital cornerstone.’

8 and he will be:[ref]

‘A stone that people stumble over

and a rock that upsets people.’

They stumble because they won’t believe in the message—this is what was appointed for them.

9 [ref]But all of you are a chosen tribe, a group of royal priests, a holy nation, a people that God has procured, so that you can tell others about the virtues of the one who called you all out of darkness and into his marvellous light. 10 [ref]Previously you all weren’t a people group, but now you’re the people of God—previously you all hadn’t been shown mercy, but now you have been.