^7 (A)I made you ^[a]thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.

¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

⁸ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and ^[a]prudence,

⁷ The Lord did not set His ^(A)love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were ^(B)the least of all peoples; ⁸ but ^(C)because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep ^(D)the oath which He swore to your fathers, ^(E)the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of ^[a]bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

⁸ But Noah ^(A)found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, ^(A)by which He ^[a]made us accepted in ^(B)the Beloved.

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

5 Therefore, ^(A)having been justified by faith, ^[a]we have ^(B)peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ^2 (C)through whom also we have access by faith into this grace ^(D)in which we stand, and ^(E)rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but ^(F)we also glory in tribulations, ^(G)knowing that tribulation produces ^[b]perseverance; ^4 (H)and perseverance, ^[c]character; and character, hope. ^5 (I)Now hope does not disappoint, ^(J)because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Christ in Our Place

⁶ For when we were still without strength, ^[d]in due time ^(K)Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But ^(L)God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified ^(M)by His blood, we shall be saved ^(N)from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For ^(O)if when we were enemies ^(P)we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved ^(Q)by His life.

³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found ^(A)favor with God.