¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[a](A) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life^(B) to the dead and calls^(C) into being things that were not.^(D)

²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not^(A)—to nullify the things that are,

⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you:^(A) You will be the father of many nations.^{(B) 5} No longer will you be called Abram^[a]; your name will be Abraham,^[b](C) for I have made you a father of many nations.^(D)

²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,^(A) even so the Son gives life^(B) to whom he is pleased to give it.

²⁹ For those God foreknew^(A) he also predestined^(B) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(C) that he might be the firstborn^(D) among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(E) he also called;^(F) those he called, he also justified;^(G) those he justified, he also glorified.^(H)

⁶³ The Spirit gives life;^(A) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[a] and life.

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)

¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;^(A) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(A) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies^(B) because of^[a] his Spirit who lives in you.