You belong to the LORD your God; he has chosen you to be his own people from among all the peoples who live on earth.

He will make you greater than any other nation that he has created, and you will bring praise and honor to his name. You will be his own people, as he promised."

"If you obey the LORD your God and do everything he commands, he will make you his own people, as he has promised.

Now, if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own people. The whole earth is mine, but you will be my chosen people,

a people dedicated to me alone, and you will serve me as priests."

He says, "Gather my faithful people to me, those who made a covenant with me by offering a sacrifice."

Israel, you belonged to me alone; you were my sacred possession. I sent suffering and disaster on everyone who hurt you. I, the LORD, have spoken."

"Of all the nations on earth, you are the only one I have known and cared for. That is what makes your sins so terrible, and that is why I must punish you for them."

Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God;

he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God's glory.

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.

God did not spare the ancient world, but brought the flood on the world of godless people; the only ones he saved were Noah, who preached righteousness, and seven other people.

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,

"They will be my people," says the LORD Almighty. "On the day when I act, they will be my very own. I will be merciful to them as parents are merciful to the children who serve them.

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.