So those who are last will be first, and the first last."

So he said to him 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding-robe?' The man was speechless.

Yet do not rejoice in the fact that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been enrolled in Heaven."

All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away.

For it is the will of my Father that every one who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have Immortal Life; and I myself will raise him up at the Last Day."

"No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; and I will raise him up at the Last Day.

"Did not I myself choose you to be the Twelve?" replied Jesus; "and yet, even of you, one is playing the 'Devil's' part."

I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but this is in fulfillment of the words of Scripture--'He that is eating my bread has lifted his heel against me.'

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you, and I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that should remain, so that the Father might grant you whatever you ask in my Name.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world--that is why the world hates you.

Father, my desire for all those whom thou has given me is that they may be with me where I am, so that they may see the honor which thou has given me; for thou didst love me before the beginning of the world.

It is this Jesus whom God has exalted to his right hand, to be a Guide and a Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.

But the Lord said to him: "Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to uphold my Name before the Gentiles and their kings, and the people of Israel.

On hearing this, the Gentiles were glad and extolled God's Message; and all those who had been enrolled for Immortal Life became believers in Christ;

Then he said 'The God of our ancestors has appointed you to learn his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear words from his lips;

But we do know that God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him-those who have received the Call in accordance with his purpose. For those whom God chose from the first he also destined from the first to be transformed into likeness to his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest among many Brothers.

For those whom God chose from the first he also destined from the first to be transformed into likeness to his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest among many Brothers. And those whom God destined for this he also called; and those whom he called he also pronounced righteous; and those whom he pronounced righteous he also brought to Glory.

For in order that the purpose of God, working through selection, might not fail-a selection depending, not on obedience, but on his Call-Rebecca was told, before her children were born and before they had done anything either right or wrong, that 'the elder would be a servant to the younger.' read more. The words of Scripture are-'I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.'

So, then, where God wills, he takes pity, and where he wills, he hardens the heart.

So as to make known his surpassing glory in dealing with the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared beforehand for glory,

And so in our own time, too, there is to be found a remnant of our nation selected by God in love. But if in love, then no longer as a result of obedience. Otherwise love would cease to be love.

But when God, who had set me apart even before my birth, and who called me by his love,

For he chose us in our union with Christ before the creation of the universe, that we might be holy and blameless in his sight, living in the spirit of love. From the first he destined us, in his good-will towards us, to be adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ,

From the first he destined us, in his good-will towards us, to be adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ,

For it is by God's loving-kindness that you have been saved, through your faith. It is not due to yourselves; the gift is God's.

For we are God's handiwork, created, by our union with Christ Jesus, for the good actions in doing which God had pre-arranged that we should spend our lives.

Yes, and I ask you, my true comrade, to help them, remembering that they toiled by my side in spreading the Good News; and so, too, did Clement and my other fellow-workers, whose names are 'in the Book of Life.'

Brothers, whom God loves, we know that he has chosen you,

But, Brothers, whom the Lord loves, it is our duty always to thank God about you, for, from the first, God chose you for Salvation through the purifying influence of the Spirit, and your belief in the Truth.

With that aim we toil and struggle, for we have set our hopes on the Living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who hold the Faith.

It was God who saved us, and from him we received our solemn Call--not as a reward for anything that we had done, but in fulfillment of his own loving purpose. For that love was extended to us, through Christ Jesus, before time began,

A soldier on active service, to please his superior officer, always avoids entangling himself in the affairs of ordinary life.

Teach them not to contradict or to pilfer, but to show such praiseworthy fidelity in everything, as to recommend the teaching about God our Savior by all that they do.

and from Jesus Christ, ' the faithful Witness, the First-born from the dead, and the Ruler of all the Kings of the earth.' To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his own blood--