accordingto the foreknowledgeof Godthe Father,by the sanctifying workof the Spirit,to obeyJesusChristand be sprinkledwith His blood:May graceand peacebe yoursin the fullest measure.
Let the wickedforsakehis wayAnd the unrighteousmanhis thoughts;And let him returnto the LORD,And He will havecompassionon him, And to our God,For He will abundantlypardon.
"They will not buildand anotherinhabit,They will not plantand anothereat;For as the lifetimeof a tree,[so will be] the daysof My people,And My chosenoneswill wearout the workof their hands.
"I will bringforthoffspringfrom Jacob,And an heirof My mountainsfrom Judah;Even My chosenonesshall inheritit, And My servantswill dwellthere.
Nebuchadnezzarthe kingto allthe peoples,nations,and [men of every] languagethat livein allthe earth:"May your peaceabound!
ThenDariusthe kingwroteto allthe peoples,nationsand [men of every] languagewhowere livingin allthe land:"May your peaceabound!
He shall slaythe youngbullbeforethe LORD;and Aaron'ssonsthe priestsshall offerup the bloodand sprinklethe bloodaroundon the altarthat is at the doorwayof the tentof meeting.
"Unlessthosedayshad been cutshort,nolifewould have been saved;but for the sakeof the electthosedayswill be cut short.
"For false Christsand false prophetswill ariseand will showgreatsignsand wonders,soas to mislead,ifpossible,eventhe elect.
"And He will send forthHis angelswith A GREATTRUMPETand THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHERHis electfrom the fourwinds,from one endof the skyto the other.
"Unlessthe Lordhad shortened[those] days,nolifewould have been saved;but for the sakeof the elect,whomHe chose,He shortenedthe days.
for false Christsand false prophetswill arise,and will showsignsand wonders,in orderto lead astray,ifpossible,the elect.
"And thenHe will send forththe angels,and will gather togetherHis electfrom the fourwinds,from the farthestendof the earthto the farthest endof heaven.
now,will not Godbring aboutjusticefor His electwho cryto Him dayand night,and will He delay longoverthem?
SAYSTHE LORD,WHO MAKESTHESE THINGSKNOWNFROM LONG AGO.
this[Man], deliveredover by the predeterminedplanand foreknowledgeof God,you nailed to a crossby the handsof godless menand put [Him] to death.
"And nowI commendyou to Godand to the wordof His grace,which is ableto build[you] up and to give[you] the inheritanceamongallthosewho are sanctified.
throughwhomwe have receivedgraceand apostleshipto bring about[the] obedienceof faithamongallthe Gentilesfor His name'ssake,
to allwho are belovedof Godin Rome,called[as] saints:Graceto you and peacefrom Godour Fatherand the LordJesusChrist.
Godhas not rejectedHis peoplewhomHe foreknew.Ordo you not knowwhatthe Scripturesaysin [the passage about] Elijah,howhe pleadswith GodagainstIsrael?
From the standpointof the gospelthey are enemiesfor your sake,but from the standpointof [God's] choicethey are belovedfor the sakeof the fathers;
to be a ministerof ChristJesusto the Gentiles,ministering as a priestthe gospelof God,sothat [my] offeringof the Gentilesmay becomeacceptable,sanctifiedby the HolySpirit.
For the report of your obediencehas reachedto all;thereforeI am rejoicingoveryou, but I wantyou to be wisein what is goodand innocentin what is evil.
but nowis manifested,and by the Scripturesof the prophets,accordingto the commandmentof the eternalGod,has been made knownto allthe nations,[leading] to obedienceof faith;
for ifyou are livingaccordingto the flesh,you mustdie;but ifby the Spirityou are putting to deaththe deedsof the body,you will live.
Whowill bring a chargeagainstGod'select?Godis the one who justifies;
But by His doing you are in ChristJesus,whobecameto us wisdomfrom God,and righteousnessand sanctification,and redemption,
Suchwere someof you; but you were washed,but you were sanctified,but you were justifiedin the nameof the LordJesusChristand in the Spiritof our God.
[We are] destroyingspeculationsand everylofty thingraisedup againstthe knowledgeof God,and [we are] takingeverythoughtcaptiveto the obedienceof Christ,
The graceof the LordJesusChrist,and the loveof God,and the fellowshipof the HolySpirit,be with you all.
"For you are a holypeopleto the LORDyour God;the LORDyour Godhas chosenyou to be a peoplefor His own possessionout of allthe peopleswhoare on the faceof the earth.
So,as those who have been chosenof God,holyand beloved,puton a heartof compassion,kindness,humility,gentlenessand patience;
But we shouldalwaysgive thanksto Godfor you, brethrenbelovedby the Lord,becauseGodhas chosenyou from the beginningfor salvationthroughsanctificationby the Spiritand faithin the truth.
For thisreasonI endureall thingsfor the sakeof thosewho are chosen,sothat they alsomay obtainthe salvationwhich is in ChristJesus[and] with [it] eternalglory.
Paul,a bond-servantof Godand an apostleof JesusChrist,for the faithof those chosenof Godand the knowledgeof the truthwhich is accordingto godliness,
let us draw nearwith a sincereheartin full assuranceof faith,having our heartssprinkled[clean] from an evilconscienceand our bodieswashedwith purewater.
By faithhe keptthe Passoverand the sprinklingof the blood,sothat he who destroyedthe firstbornwould not touchthem.
and to Jesus,the mediatorof a newcovenant,and to the sprinkledblood,which speaksbetterthan[the blood] of Abel.
And having been made perfect,He becameto allthosewho obeyHim the sourceof eternalsalvation,
As obedientchildren,do not be conformedto the formerlusts[which were yours] in your ignorance,
but with preciousblood,as of a lambunblemishedand spotless,[the blood] of Christ.
For He was foreknownbeforethe foundationof the world,but has appearedin theselasttimesfor the sakeof you
Since you have in obedienceto the truthpurifiedyour soulsfor a sincerelove of the brethren,ferventlyloveone anotherfrom the heart,
But you are A CHOSENRACE,A royalPRIESTHOOD,A HOLYNATION,A PEOPLEFOR [God's] OWN POSSESSION,sothat you may proclaimthe excellenciesof Him who has calledyou out of darknessinto His marvelouslight;
Graceand peacebe multipliedto you in the knowledgeof Godand of Jesusour Lord;
The elderto the chosenladyand her children,whomI lovein truth;and not onlyI, but alsoallwho knowthe truth,
The childrenof your chosensistergreetyou.
May mercyand peaceand lovebe multipliedto you.
