Come and present your case in court; let the defendants consult one another. Who predicted long ago what would happen? Was it not I, the LORD, the God who saves his people? There is no other god.

My promise is true, and it will not be changed. I solemnly promise by all that I am: Everyone will come and kneel before me and vow to be loyal to me.

The LORD said to me, "I have a greater task for you, my servant. Not only will you restore to greatness the people of Israel who have survived, but I will also make you a light to the nations--- so that all the world may be saved."

The LORD will use his holy power; he will save his people, and all the world will see it.

Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

He said to them, "Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all people.

With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,

A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel."

The whole human race will see God's salvation!' "

But I ask: Is it true that they did not hear the message? Of course they did---for as the scripture says: "The sound of their voice went out to all the world; their words reached the ends of the earth."

as we wait for the blessed Day we hope for, when the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will appear.

People not yet born will be told: "The Lord saved his people."

The LORD will bless them and save them; God will declare them innocent.

"They will say that only through me are victory and strength to be found; but all who hate me will suffer disgrace.

I, the LORD, will rescue all the descendants of Jacob, and they will give me praise.

I am bringing the day of victory near--- it is not far away at all. My triumph will not be delayed. I will save Jerusalem and bring honor to Israel there."

Jerusalem, the nations will see you victorious! All their kings will see your glory. You will be called by a new name, A name given by the LORD himself.

When he is king, the people of Judah will be safe, and the people of Israel will live in peace. He will be called 'The LORD Our Salvation.'

And when he comes, he will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong about sin and about what is right and about God's judgment.

they are wrong about what is right, because I am going to the Father and you will not see me any more;

But now God's way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it.

everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence.

God offered him, so that by his blood he should become the means by which people's sins are forgiven through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate that he is righteous. In the past he was patient and overlooked people's sins; but in the present time he deals with their sins, in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes in Jesus.

So we say that the Gentiles, who were not trying to put themselves right with God, were put right with him through faith;

They have not known the way in which God puts people right with himself, and instead, they have tried to set up their own way; and so they did not submit themselves to God's way of putting people right.

For Christ has brought the Law to an end, so that everyone who believes is put right with God.

Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God.

and be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith.

From Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ--- To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have been given a faith as precious as ours:

For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the scripture says, "The person who is put right with God through faith shall live."