¹⁶ So it depends not on human will or exertion but on God who shows mercy.

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—

Jesus Thanks His Father

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I thank^[a] you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants;^{(A) 26} yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.^[b]

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,^[a] in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.^(A)

³ For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another.^{(A) 4} But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,^{(B) 5} he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water^[a] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.^(C)

¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

⁴ but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us^{(A) 5} even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ^[a]—by grace you have been saved—

²⁶ Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards,^[a] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.^{(A) 27} But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;^{(B) 28} God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, ²⁹ so that no one^[b] might boast in the presence of God.^{(C) 30} In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,^{(D) 31} in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in^[c] the Lord.”^(E)

¹¹ even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue,

¹⁸ In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave birth to us by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.^(A)