"[It is] not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart [that] you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations [that] the LORD your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

"The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples;

"but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

"then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.'

" Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do [this] for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

"Not for your sake do I do [this,"] says the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!"

And if by grace, then [it is] no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if [it is] of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

Well [said.] Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear.

For I know nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.

For who makes you differ [from another?] And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive [it,] why do you boast as if you had not received [it?]

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

who has saved us and 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 began,

For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

"You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

"For all who do these things [are] an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

"But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet complete."

' Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you.

'For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants.