How will anyone know that you are pleased with your people and with me if you do not go with us? Your presence with us will distinguish us from any other people on earth."

God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do.

We must thank God at all times for you, friends, you whom the Lord loves. For God chose you as the first to be saved by the Spirit's power to make you his holy people and by your faith in the truth.

God called you to this through the Good News we preached to you; he called you to possess your share of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: "The Lord knows those who are his" and "Those who say that they belong to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing."

But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light.

And so the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and how to keep the wicked under punishment for the Day of Judgment,

He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.

The LORD watches over the righteous and listens to their cries;

But I call to the LORD God for help, and he will save me.

Morning, noon, and night my complaints and groans go up to him, and he will hear my voice.

The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side---

God says, "I will save those who love me and will protect those who acknowledge me as LORD.

When they call to me, I will answer them; when they are in trouble, I will be with them. I will rescue them and honor them.

You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name.