Now, God has offered us the promise that we may receive that rest he spoke about. Let us take care, then, that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest.

Our great desire is that each of you keep up your eagerness to the end, so that the things you hope for will come true.

"Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it.

From the time John preached his message until this very day the Kingdom of heaven has suffered violent attacks, and violent men try to seize it.

"Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.

For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light."

"Do your best to go in through the narrow door; because many people will surely try to go in but will not be able.

"The Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were in effect up to the time of John the Baptist; since then the Good News about the Kingdom of God is being told, and everyone forces their way in.

Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life. This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him."

So then, dear friends, as you always obeyed me when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey me now while I am away from you. Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation,

So then, my friends, try even harder to make God's call and his choice of you a permanent experience; if you do so, you will never abandon your faith.

In this way you will be given the full right to enter the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

My friends, be careful that none of you have a heart so evil and unbelieving that you will turn away from the living God.

When God made his solemn promise, "They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest"---of whom was he speaking? Of those who rebelled.

We see, then, that they were not able to enter the land, because they did not believe.

"And so, King Agrippa, I did not disobey the vision I had from heaven.

As for you Gentiles, you disobeyed God in the past; but now you have received God's mercy because the Jews were disobedient.

For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.

At that time you followed the world's evil way; you obeyed the ruler of the spiritual powers in space, the spirit who now controls the people who disobey God.

Do not let anyone deceive you with foolish words; it is because of these very things that God's anger will come upon those who do not obey him.

Because of such things God's anger will come upon those who do not obey him.

They claim that they know God, but their actions deny it. They are hateful and disobedient, not fit to do anything good.

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, and wrong. We were slaves to passions and pleasures of all kinds. We spent our lives in malice and envy; others hated us and we hated them.