"The LORD did not love you and choose you because you outnumbered other peoples; you were the smallest nation on earth.

But the LORD loved you and wanted to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saved you by his great might and set you free from slavery to the king of Egypt.

The LORD has made a solemn promise, and he will not abandon you, for he has decided to make you his own people.

The LORD, the God of Israel, chose me and my descendants to rule Israel forever. He chose the tribe of Judah to provide leadership, and out of Judah he chose my father's family. From all that family it was his pleasure to take me and make me king over all Israel.

He gave me many sons, and out of them all he chose Solomon to rule over Israel, the LORD's kingdom.

Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen.

At that time Jesus was filled with joy by the Holy Spirit and said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth! I thank you because you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned. Yes, Father, this was how you were pleased to have it happen.

From Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes---

God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children---this was his pleasure and purpose.

God did what he had purposed, and made known to us the secret plan he had already decided to complete by means of Christ.

God did this according to his eternal purpose, which he achieved through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Listen to me, distant nations, you people who live far away! Before I was born, the LORD chose me and appointed me to be his servant.

Before I was born, the LORD appointed me; he made me his servant to bring back his people, to bring back the scattered people of Israel. The LORD gives me honor; he is the source of my strength.

"I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations."

John will be great in the Lord's sight. He must not drink any wine or strong drink. From his very birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,

and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

The Lord said to him, "Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, to do the work to which I have called them."

He said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see his righteous Servant, and to hear him speaking with his own voice.

For you will be a witness for him to tell everyone what you have seen and heard.

From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus and an apostle chosen and called by God to preach his Good News.

Through him God gave me the privilege of being an apostle for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nations to believe and obey.

And so those whom God set apart, he called; and those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared his glory with them.

For we are the people he called, not only from among the Jews but also from among the Gentiles.

God is to be trusted, the God who called you to have fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.

but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me.

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.

I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength for my work. I thank him for considering me worthy and appointing me to serve him,

And our Lord poured out his abundant grace on me and gave me the faith and love which are ours in union with Christ Jesus.

He saved us and called us to be his own people, not because of what we have done, but because of his own purpose and grace. He gave us this grace by means of Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

But after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who calls you to share his eternal glory in union with Christ, will himself perfect you and give you firmness, strength, and a sure foundation.