¹³ Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and greet his mother—a mother to me also.

Salutation

¹ The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth,^(A)

² to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters—with absolute purity.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

²¹ They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus.^(A)

¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.^(A)

Chosen for Salvation

¹³ But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits^[a] for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.^(A)

⁴ just as he chose us in Christ^[a] before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.^(A)

²⁷ Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

³⁵ Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

¹⁶ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”^[a](A)