¹⁷ “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort^(A) Zion and choose^(B) Jerusalem.’”^(C)

¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners^(A) to the covenants of the promise,^(B) without hope^(C) and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once^(D) were far away have been brought near^(E) by the blood of Christ.^(F)

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace,^(G) who has made the two groups one^(H) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh^(I) the law with its commands and regulations.^(J) His purpose was to create in himself one^(K) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(L) by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace^(M) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^{(N) 18} For through him we both have access^(O) to the Father^(P) by one Spirit.^(Q)

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(R) but fellow citizens^(S) with God’s people and also members of his household,^(T)

²² And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty and to entreat him.”^(A)

²³ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’”^(B)

¹⁴ Simon^[a] has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles.^{(A) 15} The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: