⁸ The Lord’s message^(A) rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.^(B) Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, ⁹ for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned^(C) to God from idols^(D) to serve the living and true God,^{(E) 10} and to wait for his Son from heaven,^(F) whom he raised from the dead^(G)—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.^(H)

⁹ But you are a chosen people,^(A) a royal priesthood,^(B) a holy nation,^(C) God’s special possession,^(D) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^{(E) 10} Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(F) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,^(A) standing before the throne^(B) and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes^(C) and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice: