But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him

然而，那把我从母腹里分别出来、又施恩召我的神，

然而，那位把我从母腹里分别出来、又施恩呼召我的上帝，既然乐意

然而，那位把我从母腹里分别出来、又施恩呼召我的神，既然乐意

然而，当我还在母腹中的时候，上帝就施恩将我分别出来并呼召了我。

然而，当我在母腹里就把我分别出来，又用他的恩呼召我的那一位，

然而神，就是当我在母腹里时就把我分别出来、又藉着他的恩典召唤我的那一位，乐意

然而，那把我從母腹裏分別出來、又施恩召我的神，

然而，那位把我從母腹裏分別出來、又施恩呼召我的上帝，既然樂意

然而，那位把我從母腹裏分別出來、又施恩呼召我的神，既然樂意

然而，當我還在母腹中的時候，上帝就施恩將我分別出來並呼召了我。

然而，當我在母腹裡就把我分別出來，又用他的恩呼召我的那一位，

然而那從我母腹分別了我、藉他的恩召了我、的上帝、

然而神，就是當我在母腹裡時就把我分別出來、又藉著他的恩典召喚我的那一位，樂意

然自母胎甄別我、以恩召我之上帝、

然我自生時、上帝已定命恩召我、

然自我母胎選我、以恩召我之天主、

然選我於胎中、而召我以特恩者、

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased

But God set me apart from before the time I was born. He showed me his grace by appointing me. He was pleased

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,

But when God, who from my mother’s womb set me apart and called me by his grace, was pleased

But when He who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace was pleased

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,

But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace,

But when God, who from my birth set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called[ me] by his grace,

But when the one who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace was pleased

But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace

“ I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

And now the Lord speaks— the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength.

Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name.

God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.

One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,“ Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”

But the Lord said,“ Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation— a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time— to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me— and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

“ Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, has chosen me from among all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen the tribe of Judah to rule, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. And from among my father’s sons the Lord was pleased to make me king over all Israel.And from among my sons— for the Lord has given me many— he chose Solomon to succeed me on the throne of Israel and to rule over the Lord’s kingdom.

But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.

“ Then he told me,‘ The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak.For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.

This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

“ The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ— which is to fulfill his own good plan.

At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said,“ O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.

Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!

This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.

And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.