¹⁴ What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! ¹⁵ For to Moses He says,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,

and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[a]

¹⁶ So then it does not depend on the one who wills or the one who strives, but on God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up—to demonstrate My power in you, so My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” ^{[b] 18} So then He has mercy on whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” ²⁰ But who in the world are you, O man, who talks back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” ^{[c] 21} Does the potter have no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honor and another for common use? ²² Now what if God, willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath designed for destruction? ²³ And what if He did so to make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory?

²⁴ Even us He called—not only from the Jewish people, but also from the Gentiles—

Preserving Sanctity in God’s Living Temple

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.^[a] For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony does Messiah have with Belial^[b]? Or what part does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement does God’s Temple have with idols?^[c] For we are the temple of the living God—just as God said,

7 Therefore, since we have these promises, loved ones, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.