"For the promiseis for you and your childrenand for allwhoare far off,as manyas the Lordour Godwill callto Himself."
For I will pourout wateron the thirsty[land] And streamson the dryground;I will pourout My Spiriton your offspringAnd My blessingon your descendants;
"Allyour sonswill be taughtof the LORD;And the well-beingof your sonswill be great.
Creatingthe praiseof the lips.Peace,peaceto him who is farand to him who is near,"Saysthe LORD,"and I will healhim."
So they will fearthe nameof the LORDfrom the westAnd His gloryfrom the risingof the sun,For He will comelike a rushingstreamWhich the windof the LORDdrives.
"A Redeemerwill cometo Zion,And to those who turnfrom transgressionin Jacob,"declaresthe LORD.
"They will not laborin vain,Or bear[children] for calamity;For they are the offspringof those blessedby the LORD,And their descendantswith them.
"They will liveon the landthat I gaveto JacobMy servant,in whichyour fatherslived;and they will liveon it, they, and their sonsand their sons'sons,forever;and DavidMy servantwill be their princeforever.
"It will comeabout afterthisThat I will pourout My Spiriton allmankind;And your sonsand daughterswill prophesy,Your oldmenwill dreamdreams,Your youngmenwill seevisions.
"And it will comeabout that whoevercallson the nameof the LORDWill be delivered;For on MountZionand in JerusalemThere will be those who escape,As the LORDhas said,Even among the survivorswhomthe LORDcalls.
Allthe circumcisedbelieverswhocamewith Peterwere amazed,becausethe giftof the HolySpirithad been pouredout on the Gentilesalso.
When they had arrivedand gatheredthe churchtogether,they [began] to reportall thingsthat Godhad donewith them and howHe had openeda doorof faithto the Gentiles.
"Simeonhas relatedhowGodfirstconcerned Himself abouttakingfrom amongthe Gentilesa peoplefor His name.
Therefore,being sent on their wayby the church,they were passing throughbothPhoeniciaand Samaria,describing in detailthe conversionof the Gentiles,and were bringinggreatjoyto allthe brethren.
"And God,who knows the heart,testifiedto them givingthem the HolySpirit,justas He alsodid to us;
for the giftsand the callingof Godare irrevocable.
and thesewhomHe predestined,He alsocalled;and thesewhomHe called,He alsojustified;and thesewhomHe justified,He alsoglorified.
[even] us, whomHe alsocalled,not from amongJewsonly,but alsofrom amongGentiles.
whoare Israelites,to whombelongs the adoption as sons,and the gloryand the covenantsand the giving of the Lawand the [temple] serviceand the promises,
For the unbelievinghusbandis sanctifiedthroughhis wife,and the unbelievingwifeis sanctifiedthroughher believing husband;for otherwiseyour childrenare unclean,but nowthey are holy.
[I pray that] the eyesof your heartmay be enlightened,sothat you will knowwhatis the hopeof His calling,whatare the richesof the gloryof His inheritancein the saints,
[remember] that you were at that timeseparatefrom Christ,excludedfrom the commonwealthof Israel,and strangersto the covenantsof promise,havingnohopeand without Godin the world.
[There is] onebodyand oneSpirit,justas alsoyou were calledin onehopeof your calling;
but both with those whostandherewith us todayin the presenceof the LORDour Godand with those whoare not with us heretoday
To thisendalsowe prayfor you always,that our Godwill count you worthyof your calling,and fulfilleverydesirefor goodnessand the workof faithwith power,
who has savedus and calledus with a holycalling,not accordingto our works,but accordingto His ownpurposeand gracewhich was grantedus in ChristJesusfrom alleternity,
Therefore,holybrethren,partakersof a heavenlycalling,considerJesus,the Apostleand High Priestof our confession;
For thisreasonHe is the mediatorof a newcovenant,sothat, since a deathhas taken placefor the redemptionof the transgressionsthat were [committed] underthe firstcovenant,thosewho have been calledmay receivethe promiseof the eternalinheritance.
After you have sufferedfor a little while,the Godof allgrace,who calledyou to His eternalgloryin Christ,will Himselfperfect,confirm,strengthen[and] establishyou.
Therefore,brethren,be all the morediligentto makecertainabout His callingand choosingyou; for as long as you practicethese things,you will neverstumble;
seeingthat His divinepowerhas grantedto us everythingpertainingto lifeand godliness,throughthe true knowledgeof Him who calledus by His owngloryand excellence.
"Thesewill wage waragainstthe Lamb,and the Lambwill overcomethem, becauseHe is Lordof lordsand Kingof kings,and thosewhoare with Him [are the] calledand chosenand faithful."
Thenhe saidto me, "Write,Blessedare thosewho are invitedto the marriagesupperof the Lamb.'"And he saidto me, "Theseare true wordsof God."
