¹⁶ You did not choose me, but ^(A)I chose you and appointed you that you should go and ^(B)bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that ^(C)whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

⁴ Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: ⁵ “It is I who ^(A)by my great power and my outstretched arm ^(B)have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, ^(C)and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. ^6 (D)Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, ^(E)my servant, ^(F)and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. ^7 (G)All the nations shall serve him and ^(H)his son and ^(I)his grandson, ^(J)until the time of his own land comes. ^(K)Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.

⁸ “‘“But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, ^(L)and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation ^(M)with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand.

²¹ And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, ^(A)who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince^[a] over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord.