^2 (A)elect ^(B)according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, ^(C)in sanctification of the Spirit, for ^(D)obedience and ^(E)sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

^(F)Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Stand Fast

¹³ But we are ^[a]bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God ^(A)from the beginning ^(B)chose you for salvation ^(C)through ^[b]sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,

²⁴ to Jesus ^(A)the Mediator of the new covenant, and to ^(B)the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things ^(C)than that of Abel.

The Enduring Word

²² Since you ^(A)have purified your souls in obeying the truth ^[a]through the Spirit in ^[b]sincere ^(B)love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

⁴ just as ^(A)He chose us in Him ^(B)before the foundation of the world, that we should ^(C)be holy and without blame before Him in love, ^5 (D)having predestined us to ^(E)adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, ^(F)according to the good pleasure of His will,

^2 (A)Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

² God has not cast away His people whom ^(A)He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,

²³ Him, ^(A)being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, ^(B)you ^[a]have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

^16 (A)You did not choose Me, but I chose you and ^(B)appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father ^(C)in My name He may give you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.

The World’s Hatred

^18 (D)“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ^19 (E)If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet ^(F)because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.