¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed^(A) in his name,^(B) he gave the right to become children of God^(C)— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(D)

¹⁴ What then shall we say?^(A) Is God unjust? Not at all!^{(B) 15} For he says to Moses,

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.^{(D) 17} For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”^{[b](E) 18} Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.^(F)

¹⁹ One of you will say to me:^(G) “Then why does God still blame us?^(H) For who is able to resist his will?”^{(I) 20} But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?^(J) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,^(K) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[c](L) 21} Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?^(M)

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience^(N) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?^{(O) 23} What if he did this to make the riches of his glory^(P) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory^(Q)—

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,^{(A) 2} in which you used to live^(B) when you followed the ways of this world^(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,^(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.^{(E) 3} All of us also lived among them at one time,^(F) gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a](G) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us,^(H) God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions^(I)—it is by grace you have been saved.^{(J) 6} And God raised us up with Christ^(K) and seated us with him^(L) in the heavenly realms^(M) in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,^(N) expressed in his kindness^(O) to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For it is by grace^(P) you have been saved,^(Q) through faith^(R)—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works,^(S) so that no one can boast.^{(T) 10} For we are God’s handiwork,^(U) created^(V) in Christ Jesus to do good works,^(W) which God prepared in advance for us to do.