8 For ^mby grace you have been saved ⁿthrough faith. And this is ^onot your own doing; it is the ^pgift of God, 9 ^qnot a result of works, ^rso that no one may ^sboast. 10 For we are his ^tworkmanship, ^ucreated in Christ Jesus for good works, ^vwhich God prepared beforehand, that we should ^wwalk in them.

16 So then it depends ^vnot on human will or exertion,¹ but on God, who has ^wmercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ^x“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he ^yhardens whomever he wills.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For ^zwho can resist his will?” 20 But ^awho are you, O man, to answer back to God? ^bWill what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 ^cHas the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump ^done vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much ^epatience vessels of wrath ^fprepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the ^griches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has ^hprepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, ⁱnot from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but ^aJesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your ^bservants¹ for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, ^c“Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts ^dto give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

20 Now in a great ^phouse there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, ^qsome for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, ^rif anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,¹ he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ^sready for every good work.

22 So ^tflee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, ^ulove, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.