So then,<n id="1" /> God<n id="2" /> has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="otpoetry">&#8220;<i><b>For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he acceptsb>.i>&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one,<n id="1" /> killed another, and stoned another.

For he says to Moses: &#8220;<i><b>I will have mercy on whom I have mercyb>, <b>and I will have compassion on whom I have compassionb>i>.&#8221;<n id="1" />

So<n id="1" /> when they came to the place that is called &#8220;The Skull,&#8221;<n id="2" /> they crucified<n id="3" /> him there, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

You<n id="1" /> have not seen him, but you love him. You<n id="2" /> do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice<n id="3" /> with an indescribable and glorious<n id="4" /> joy,

But when Herod heard this, he said, &#8220;John, whom I beheaded, has been raised!&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">During the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people,<n id="1" /> whomever they requested.

<p class="poetry">the oath<n id="1" /> that he swore to our ancestor<n id="2" /> Abraham.p> <p class="poetry">This oath grants<n id="3" />p>

You are clean already<n id="1" /> because of the word that I have spoken to you.

And again another scripture says, &#8220;<b><i>They will look on the one whom they have piercedi>b>.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<b><i>You don&#8217;t want to kill me the way you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?i>b>&#8217;<n id="1" />

but the one<n id="1" /> whom God raised up did not experience<n id="2" /> decay.

On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through<n id="1" /> the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

He<n id="1" /> even tried to desecrate<n id="2" /> the temple, so we arrested<n id="3" /> him.

You be on guard against him<n id="1" /> too, because he vehemently opposed our words.

I am appealing<n id="1" /> to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become<n id="2" /> during my imprisonment,<n id="3" /> that is, Onesimus,

I have sent<n id="1" /> him (who is my very heart)<n id="2" /> back to you.

in these last days he has spoken to us in a son,<n id="1" /> whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.<n id="2" />

God had told him, &#8220;<b><i>Through Isaac descendants will carry on your namei>b>,&#8221;<n id="1" />