Matthew 22:14

Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth.

He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness.

which in its own times he will show, who is the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there.

But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.

among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;

Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty.

These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”

Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days.

We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood—

Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?

You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,

How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”

“Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter in and will not be able.

For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.’ ”

I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.

The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;

We know, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen,

He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne.

These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen.

For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons or take bribes.

Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.

If there is a tenth left in it, that also will in turn be consumed, as a terebinth, and as an oak, whose stump remains when they are cut down; so the holy seed is its stock.”

and when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.”

The king answered to Daniel, and said, “Of a truth your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”

I saw, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them,

The kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole sky, will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions will serve and obey him.’

“At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.

Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me.

It shall happen that in all the land,” says Yahweh, “two parts in it will be cut off and die; but the third will be left in it.

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city will be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go out into captivity, and the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.

“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?

The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”

The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all—

Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls,

Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.”

I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air,

Then the end comes, when he will deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when he will have abolished all rule and all authority and power.

For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.

No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.

Therefore I endure all things for the chosen ones’ sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”

Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus,

who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;

Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.

When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.

They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.

The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

You shall take of it a few in number, and bind them in the folds of your robe.

But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.’ ”

For Yahweh of Armies says: ‘For honor he has sent me to the nations which plundered you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye.

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.

Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.

Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.

One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them,

They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.

Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;