²⁶ Then God said, “^[a]Let ^(A)Us make ^(B)mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and ^[b]let them ^(C)rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.”

⁴ “^(A)Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the ^(B)Lord is one!

^5 (A)Have this attitude ^[a]in yourselves which was also in ^(B)Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, as He already ^(C)existed in the ^(D)form of God, ^(E)did not consider equality with God something to be ^[b]grasped, ⁷ but ^[c](F)emptied Himself by taking the form of a ^(G)bond-servant and ^[d](H)being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, ^(I)He humbled Himself by becoming ^(J)obedient to the point of death: ^(K)death ^[e]on a cross.

⁴ But when the ^(A)kindness of ^(B)God our Savior and His love for mankind ^(C)appeared, ^5 (D)He saved us, ^(E)not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but ^(F)in accordance with His mercy, by the ^(G)washing of regeneration and ^(H)renewing by the Holy Spirit, ^6 (I)whom He ^(J)richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made ^(K)heirs ^[a]according to the hope of eternal life.