"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.
"Your servantis in the midstof Your peoplewhichYou have chosen,a greatpeoplewhoare toomanyto be numberedor counted.
"For they have takensomeof their daughters[as wives] for themselves and for their sons,so that the holyracehas intermingledwith the peoplesof the lands;indeed, the handsof the princesand the rulershave beenforemostin thisunfaithfulness."
JudahbecameHis sanctuary,Israel,His dominion.
For the LORDhas chosenJacobfor Himself, Israelfor His own possession.
"GatherMy godlyonesto Me, Those who have madea covenantwith Me by sacrifice."
Then I will takeyou for My people,and I will be your God;and you shall knowthat I am the LORDyour God,who broughtyou out from underthe burdensof the Egyptians.
"But you, Israel,My servant,JacobwhomI have chosen,Descendantof AbrahamMy friend,
You whomI have takenfrom the endsof the earth,And calledfrom its remotestpartsAnd saidto you, 'You are My servant,I have chosenyou and not rejectedyou.
"Yetthere will be a tenthportionin it, And it will againbe [subject] to burning,Like a terebinthor an oakWhosestumpremains whenit is felled.The holyseedis its stump."
And they will callthem, "The holypeople,The redeemedof the LORD";And you will be called,"Soughtout, a citynot forsaken."
"Israelwas holyto the LORD,The firstof His harvest.Allwho ateof it becameguilty;Evilcameupon them," declaresthe LORD.'"
and sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"On the daywhen I choseIsraeland sworeto the descendantsof the houseof Jacoband madeMyself knownto them in the landof Egypt,when I sworeto them, saying,I am the LORDyour God,
Hence I have saidto you, "You are to possesstheir land,and I Myselfwill giveit to you to possessit, a landflowingwith milkand honey."I am the LORDyour God,whohas separatedyou from the peoples.
Thus you are to be holyto Me, for I the LORDam holy;and I have setyou apartfrom the peoplesto be Mine.
"You onlyhave I chosenamongallthe familiesof the earth;ThereforeI will punishyou for allyour iniquities."
"They will be Mine," saysthe LORDof hosts,"on the daythat I prepare[My] own possession,and I will sparethem as a manspareshis own sonwho serveshim."
"The Godof thispeopleIsraelchoseour fathersand madethe peoplegreatduringtheir stayin the landof Egypt,and with an upliftedarmHe ledthem out from it.
whoare Israelites,to whombelongs the adoption as sons,and the gloryand the covenantsand the giving of the Lawand the [temple] serviceand the promises,
"For you are a holypeopleto the LORDyour God,and the LORDhas chosenyou to be a peoplefor His own possessionout of allthe peopleswhoare on the faceof the earth.
"You shall not eatanythingwhichdies[of itself]. You may giveit to the alienwhois in your town,so that he may eatit, oryou may sellit to a foreigner,for you are a holypeopleto the LORDyour God.You shall not boila younggoatin its mother'smilk.
"The LORDhas todaydeclaredyou to be His people,a treasuredpossession,as He promisedyou, and that you should keepallHis commandments;
and that He will setyou highaboveallnationswhichHe has made,for praise,fame,and honor;and that you shall be a consecratedpeopleto the LORDyour God,as He has spoken."
"The LORDwill establishyou as a holypeopleto Himself, as He sworeto you, ifyou keepthe commandmentsof the LORDyour Godand walkin His ways.
"Indeed,He lovesthe people;AllYour holyonesare in Your hand,And they followedin Your steps;[Everyone] receivesof Your words.
"But the LORDhas takenyou and broughtyou out of the ironfurnace,from Egypt,to be a peoplefor His own possession,as today.
"BecauseHe lovedyour fathers,therefore He chosetheir descendantsafterthem. And He personallybroughtyou from Egyptby His greatpower,
whogaveHimselffor us to redeemus from everylawless deed,and to purifyfor Himselfa peoplefor His ownpossession,zealousfor gooddeeds.
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;
and did not sparethe ancientworld,but preservedNoah,a preacherof righteousness,with seven others,when He broughta floodupon the worldof the ungodly;
[then] the Lordknows howto rescuethe godlyfrom temptation,and to keepthe unrighteousunder punishmentfor the dayof judgment,
"For the LORDwill not abandonHis peopleon accountof His greatname,becausethe LORDhas been pleasedto makeyou a peoplefor Himself.
