"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Joy

"who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance." ... May God give you more and more grace and peace."

you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

5 (A)having predestined us to (B)adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, (C)according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, (D)by which He [a]made us accepted in (E)the Beloved.

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.