³⁹ She had a sister called Mary,^(A) who sat at the Lord’s feet^(B) listening to what he said.

⁶ For you are a people holy^(A) to the Lord your God.^(B) The Lord your God has chosen^(C) you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.^(D)

⁷ The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous^(E) than other peoples, for you were the fewest^(F) of all peoples.^{(G) 8} But it was because the Lord loved^(H) you and kept the oath he swore^(I) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand^(J) and redeemed^(K) you from the land of slavery,^(L) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Israel Doubts God’s Love

² “I have loved^(A) you,” says the Lord.

“But you ask,^(B) ‘How have you loved us?’

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob,^(C)

⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power^(A) until the coming of the salvation^(B) that is ready to be revealed^(C) in the last time.

³ For you died,^(A) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life,^(B) appears,^(C) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(D)

⁴ But because of his great love for us,^(A) God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions^(B)—it is by grace you have been saved.^(C)

³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(A) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^{(B) 36} As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(D) through him who loved us.^{(E) 38} For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future,^(F) nor any powers,^{(G) 39} neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God^(H) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(I)

³ “I am a Jew,^(A) born in Tarsus^(B) of Cilicia,^(C) but brought up in this city. I studied under^(D) Gamaliel^(E) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.^(F) I was just as zealous^(G) for God as any of you are today.