Driving Out the Nations

7 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess^(A) and drives out before you many nations^(B)—the Hittites,^(C) Girgashites,^(D) Amorites,^(E) Canaanites, Perizzites,^(F) Hivites^(G) and Jebusites,^(H) seven nations larger and stronger than you— ² and when the Lord your God has delivered^(I) them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy^(J) them totally.^[a](K) Make no treaty^(L) with them, and show them no mercy.^{(M) 3} Do not intermarry with them.^(N) Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, ⁴ for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods,^(O) and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy^(P) you. ⁵ This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles^[b](Q) and burn their idols in the fire.^{(R) 6} For you are a people holy^(S) to the Lord your God.^(T) The Lord your God has chosen^(U) you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.^(V)

⁷ The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous^(W) than other peoples, for you were the fewest^(X) of all peoples.^{(Y) 8} But it was because the Lord loved^(Z) you and kept the oath he swore^(AA) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand^(AB) and redeemed^(AC) you from the land of slavery,^(AD) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹ Know therefore that the Lord your God is God;^(AE) he is the faithful God,^(AF) keeping his covenant of love^(AG) to a thousand generations^(AH) of those who love him and keep his commandments.^{(AI) 10} But

¹¹ Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B)

To God’s holy people^(C) in Ephesus,^[a](D) the faithful^(E) in Christ Jesus:

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(F)

Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(G) who has blessed us in the heavenly realms^(H) with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us^(I) in him before the creation of the world^(J) to be holy and blameless^(K) in his sight. In love^{(L) 5} he^[b] predestined^(M) us for adoption to sonship^[c](N) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure^(O) and will— ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace,^(P) which he has freely given us in the One he loves.^{(Q) 7} In him we have redemption^(R) through his blood,^(S) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(T) of God’s grace ⁸ that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, ⁹ he^[d] made known to us the mystery^(U) of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed^(V) in Christ, ¹⁰ to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment^(W)—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.^(X)

¹¹ In him we were also chosen,^[e] having been predestined^(Y) according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose^(Z) of his will, ¹² in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.^{(AA) 13} And you also were included in Christ^(AB) when you heard the message of truth,^(AC) the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,^(AD) the promised Holy Spirit,^{(AE) 14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance^(AF) until the redemption^(AG) of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.^(AH)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus^(AI) and your love for all God’s people,^(AJ)