Numbers 4:48

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.

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.

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.

“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not count, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel;

Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, according as Yahweh your God spoke to him.)

“Count the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward.”

All who were counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the commandment of Yahweh, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

Only he gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The offerings of Yahweh, the God of Israel, made by fire are his inheritance, as he spoke to him.

But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he spoke to them.

For Moses had given the inheritance of the two tribes and the half-tribe beyond the Jordan; but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them.

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,

For many are called, but few chosen.”

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

lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.

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.

Moses counted them according to Yahweh’s word, as he was commanded.

Yahweh said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.

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.”

“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.

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

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

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

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.”

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.

But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not counted among them.

All the firstborn males according to the number of names from a month old and upward, of those who were counted of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.

At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden and in all their service; and you shall appoint their duty to them in all their responsibilities.

Those who were counted of them were twenty-three thousand, every male from a month old and upward; for they were not counted among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

Yahweh didn’t set his love on you nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples;

The priests and the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of Yahweh made by fire and his portion.

Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.

He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

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

The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying,

If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.

All who hate me whisper together against me. They imagine the worst for me.

All day long they twist my words. All their thoughts are against me for evil.

They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves.

For, behold, they lie in wait for my soul. The mighty gather themselves together against me, not for my disobedience, nor for my sin, Yahweh.

They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.

When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.

who cause a person to be indicted by a word, and lay a snare for the arbiter in the gate, and who deprive the innocent of justice with false testimony.

“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last.

He will say, “Build up, build up, prepare the way! Remove the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.”

Yahweh says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”

Let a cry be heard from their houses when you bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me and hidden snares for my feet.

For I have heard the defaming of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.”

Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king was then sitting in Benjamin’s gate),

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

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

The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

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

Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,

The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him.

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.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”

Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”

They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

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

But certain men joined with him and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

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

Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.

who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned.

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.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;