It is not because you are more numerous than all [other] nations that the Lord has preferred you, and the Lord has chosen you: for you are fewer in number than all [other] nations.

But because the Lord has loved you, and He is keeping the oath which He swore to your fathers; the Lord has brought you out with a strong hand, and the Lord has redeemed you from the house of bondage, out of the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

For the Lord will not cast off His people for His great name's sake, because the Lord graciously took you to Himself for a people.

Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me out of the whole house of my father to be king over Israel forever; and He chose Judah as the kingly [house], and out of the house of Judah [He chose] the house of my father; and among the sons of my father He preferred me, that I should be king over all Israel.

And of all my sons, (for the Lord has given me many sons) He has chosen Solomon my son, to set him on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

Yes, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight."

Paul, called [to be] an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

according to the eternal purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Hearken to Me, you islands; and attend, you Gentiles; after a long time it shall come to pass, says the Lord; from my mother's womb He has called my name;

And now thus says the Lord, who formed me from the womb to be His own servant, to gather Jacob to Him and Israel. I shall be gathered and glorified before the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; and before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.

For he shall be great before the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, while still in his mother's womb.

And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

But the Lord said to him, "Go [your way], for he is a chosen vessel to Me to bear My name before Gentiles and kings, and the sons of Israel.

Now as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them."

And he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and hear the voice from His mouth.

For you shall be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, having been separated to the gospel of God

through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for His name,

Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

even us whom He called, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles?

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than them all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

But we are obligated to give thanks to God always for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth,

to which He called you through our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And I give thanks to the [One] who empowers me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He considered me faithful, putting me into the ministry,

and the grace of our Lord superabounded with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

who having saved us, and having called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time [itself],

But may the God of all grace, the [One] having called you into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little [while], may He Himself make you complete--He will establish, strengthen, [and] firmly ground [you].