Passage
To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
1 Peter 2:5 Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:6 Wherefore it is said in the scripture: Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious. And he that shall believe in him shall not be confounded.
1 Peter 2:7 To you therefore that believe, he is honour: but to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is made the head of the corner:
1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling and a rock of scandal, to them who stumble at the word, neither do believe, whereunto also they are set.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
The verse centers on "therefore", "believe", "honour", "stone", "builders", "rejected", and "same". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "believe", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Wherefore it is said in the scripture..." into verse 8's "And a stone of stumbling and a...", so "therefore" and "believe" belong inside that flow. In 1 Peter context, the local focus is hope in suffering, holy conduct, submission, and grace.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "therefore" and "believe" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.