God’s Promises Bring Hope

¹³ For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

² This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.

¹⁷ God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.

Believers Should Stand Firm

¹³ As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first^[a] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.