23 What if he did that to show the riches of his glory to others? Those are the people he shows his mercy to. He had prepared them to receive his glory.
24 We are those people. He has chosen us. We do not come only from the Jewish race. Many of us are not Jews.
25 God says in Hosea, "I will call those who are not my people 'my people.' I will call the one who is not my loved one 'my loved one.' " (Hosea 2:23)
26 He also says, "Once it was said to them, 'You are not my people.' In that very place they will be called 'children of the living God.' " (Hosea 1:10)
27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel. He says, "The number of people from Israel may be like the sand by the sea. But only a few of them will be saved.
28 The Lord will carry out his sentence. He will be quick to carry it out on earth, once and for all." (Isaiah 10:22,23)
29 Earlier Isaiah had said, "The Lord who rules over all left us children and grandchildren. If he hadn't, we would have become like Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah." (Isaiah 1:9)