²⁵ As he says in Hosea:

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.

⁸ “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment^(A) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant^(B) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.^(C)

⁷ To all in Rome who are loved by God^(A) and called to be his holy people:^(B)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.^(C)

²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me^(A) and have believed that I came from God.^(B)

1 The word of the Lord that came^(A) to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah,^(B) Jotham,^(C) Ahaz^(D) and Hezekiah,^(E) kings of Judah,^(F) and during the reign of Jeroboam^(G) son of Jehoash^[a] king of Israel:^(H)

Hosea’s Wife and Children

² When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous^(I) woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness^(J) to the Lord.”