²⁸ And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.

²⁹ Because those of whom he had knowledge before they came into existence, were marked out by him to be made like his Son, so that he might be the first among a band of brothers:

³⁰ And those who were marked out by him were named; and those who were named were given righteousness; and to those to whom he gave righteousness, in the same way he gave glory.

³¹ What may we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

⁵ Before you were formed in the body of your mother I had knowledge of you, and before your birth I made you holy; I have given you the work of being a prophet to the nations.

¹⁰ For this reason, my brothers, take all the more care to make your selection and approval certain; for if you do these things you will never have a fall:

¹¹ For so the way will be open to you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

¹² For this reason I will be ready at all times to keep your memory of these things awake, though you have the knowledge of them now and are well based in your present faith.

¹³ Who has made us free from the power of evil and given us a place in the kingdom of the Son of his love;

¹⁴ In whom we have our salvation, the forgiveness of sins:

¹⁵ Who is the image of the unseen God coming into existence before all living things;

⁴⁴ No man is able to come to me if the Father who sent me does not give him the desire to come: and I will take him up from the dead on the last day.

⁵ Give ear, my dear brothers; are not those who are poor in the things of this world marked out by God to have faith as their wealth, and for their heritage the kingdom which he has said he will give to those who have love for him?

³⁸ And Peter said, Let your hearts be changed, every one of you, and have baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will have the Holy Spirit given to you.

³⁹ For the word of God is for you and for your children and for all those who are far off, even all those who may be marked out by the Lord our God.

⁴⁰ And with more such words he gave his witness, offering them salvation and saying, Come out from this evil generation.

⁸ Have no feeling of shame, then, for the witness of our Lord or for me, his prisoner: but undergo all things for the good news in the measure of the power of God;

⁹ Who gave us salvation, marking us out for his purpose, not on account of our works, but in the measure of his purpose and his grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal,

¹⁰ But has now been made clear by the revelation of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who put an end to death and made life unending come to light through the good news,

¹¹ Of which I was made a preacher and an Apostle and a teacher;

¹⁴ For out of all to whom the good news has come, only a small number will get salvation.

¹⁰ And after you have undergone pain for a little time, the God of all grace who has given you a part in his eternal glory through Christ Jesus, will himself give you strength and support, and make you complete in every good thing;

²⁶ For you see God's design for you, my brothers, that he has not taken a great number of the wise after the flesh, not the strong, not the noble:

²⁷ But God made selection of the foolish things of this world so that he might put the wise to shame; and the feeble things that he might put to shame the strong;

²⁸ And the low things of the world, and the things without honour, did God make selection of, yes, even the things which are not, so that he might make as nothing the things which are:

¹⁸ And that having the eyes of your heart full of light, you may have knowledge of what is the hope of his purpose, what is the wealth of the glory of his heritage in the saints,

¹⁹ And how unlimited is his power to us who have faith, as is seen in the working of the strength of his power,

²⁰ By which he made Christ come back from the dead, and gave him a place at his right hand in heaven,

⁶ For I am certain of this very thing, that he by whom the good work was started in you will make it complete till the day of Jesus Christ: