He did this to prepare all God's people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the body of Christ.

Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable.

Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ.

It was he who "gave gifts to people"; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers.

And so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God; we shall become mature people, reaching to the very height of Christ's full stature.

This, now, is what the Sovereign LORD says: "I am placing in Zion a foundation that is firm and strong. In it I am putting a solid cornerstone on which are written the words, 'Faith that is firm is also patient.'

And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it.

For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field. You are also God's building.

For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid.

In the church God has put all in place: in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in strange tongues.

James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be the leaders, recognized that God had given me this special task; so they shook hands with Barnabas and me, as a sign that we were all partners. We agreed that Barnabas and I would work among the Gentiles and they among the Jews.

The city's wall was built on twelve foundation stones, on which were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.

This, now, is what the Sovereign LORD says: "I am placing in Zion a foundation that is firm and strong. In it I am putting a solid cornerstone on which are written the words, 'Faith that is firm is also patient.'

Jesus said to them, "Haven't you ever read what the Scriptures say? 'The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all. This was done by the Lord; what a wonderful sight it is!'

Surely you have read this scripture? 'The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.

This was done by the Lord; what a wonderful sight it is!' "

Jesus looked at them and asked, "What, then, does this scripture mean? 'The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all.'

Everyone who falls on that stone will be cut to pieces; and if that stone falls on someone, that person will be crushed to dust."

Jesus is the one of whom the scripture says, 'The stone that you the builders despised turned out to be the most important of all.'

Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us."

This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe: "The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all."

And another scripture says, "This is the stone that will make people stumble, the rock that will make them fall." They stumbled because they did not believe in the word; such was God's will for them.