¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.^(A)

⁶ you^[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests^(A) and a holy nation.’^(B) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

⁶ For you are a people holy^(A) to the Lord your God.^(B) The Lord your God has chosen^(C) you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.^(D)

²⁴ “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.^(A)

⁸ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you,^(A) declares the Sovereign Lord. ⁹ My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying^(B) divinations. They will not belong to the council of my people or be listed in the records^(C) of Israel, nor will they enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.^(D)

⁸ For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye^(A)—

God’s Faithfulness

3 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? ² Much in every way!^(A) First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.^(B)

³ What if some were unfaithful?^(C) Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?^{(D) 4} Not at all! Let God be true,^(E) and every human being a liar.^(F) As it is written:

⁴ the people of Israel.^(A) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;^(B) theirs the divine glory,^(C) the covenants,^(D) the receiving of the law,^(E) the temple worship^(F) and the promises.^(G)