Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of Me shall find it.

Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways rightly.

Turn not aside to the right hand, nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way: [ 4:27A] for God knows the ways on the right hand, but those on the left are crooked: [ 4:27B] and He will make your ways straight, and will guide your steps in peace.

I walk in ways of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment;

and your ears shall hear the words of them that went after you to lead you astray, who say, This [is] the way, let us walk in it, whether to the right or to the left.

There shall be there a pure way, and it shall be called a holy way; and there shall not pass by there any unclean person, neither shall there be there an unclean way; but the dispersed shall walk on it, and they shall not go astray.

And they shall say, Clear the ways before him, and take up the stumbling blocks out of the way of My people.

Thus says the Lord, Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths of the Lord; and see what is the good way and walk in it, and you shall find purification for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [in them].

And having summoned the crowd together with His disciples, He said to them, "Whoever is willing to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

Remember the word which I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

They will excommunicate you; but a time is coming when everyone who kills you will think that he is offering God a service.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but have courage, I have overcome the world."

strengthening the souls of the disciples, urging [them] to continue in the faith, [saying], "Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God."

and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, in order to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,

For even when we were with you, we were telling you in advance that we were going to be afflicted, just as it also happened, and you know.

"Thus the last shall be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few [are] chosen."

"For many are called, but few are chosen."

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who having taken their lamps, went out to meet the bridegroom.

Those who [were] foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them,

But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.

"Then all those virgins arose, and they trimmed their lamps.

"But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for you and us; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

Afterward the remaining virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'

Do not fear, little flock, because your Father is well pleased to give to you the kingdom.

Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them,

When once the Master of the house has risen up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and answering He will say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from.'

But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'

And they will come from the east and the west, and the north and the south, and will recline [to eat] in the kingdom of God.

Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "If the number of the sons of Israel were as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved;

And just as Isaiah predicted: "Unless the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and like Gomorrah we would have been compared."

Even so then, at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

And if by grace, [it is] no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if [it is] of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

And do not fashion yourselves after this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and well pleasing and perfect will of God.

in which you once walked according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit which is now working in the sons of disobedience,

among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the senses, and were by nature children of wrath, as also the rest.

who formerly disobeyed, when the longsuffering of God was waiting in the days of Noah, when the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water;

which [as] an antitype, baptism now also saves us-(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but an appeal to God [for] a good conscience), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,