But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name.

He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will.

Therefore accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God.

For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

For we know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that sin’s dominion over the body may be abolished, so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.

I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father.

You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!