¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.

²⁹ If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.^{[a] 30} And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.^[b]

Promise of Divine Deliverance

⁷⁴ “Hear, my elect,” says the Lord. “Behold, the days of tribulation are at hand, and I will deliver you from them. ⁷⁵ Do not fear or doubt, for God is your guide. ⁷⁶ You who keep my commandments and precepts,” says the Lord God, “do not let your sins pull you down, or your iniquities prevail over you.” ⁷⁷ Woe to those who are choked by their sins and overwhelmed by their iniquities, as a field is choked with underbrush and its path^[a] overwhelmed with thorns, so that no one can pass through! ⁷⁸ It is shut off and given up to be consumed by fire.

⁸⁸ “Now this is the order of those who have kept the ways of the Most High, when they shall be separated from their mortal body.^{[a] 89} During the time that they lived in it,^[b] they laboriously served the Most High, and withstood danger every hour, that they might keep the law of the Lawgiver perfectly. ⁹⁰ Therefore this is the teaching concerning them: ⁹¹ First of all, they shall see with great joy the glory of him who receives them, for they shall have rest in seven orders. ⁹² The first order, because they have striven with great effort to overcome the evil thought which was formed with them, that it might not lead them astray from life into death.

^57 127 He answered and said, “This is the meaning of the contest which every man who is born on earth shall wage, ^58 128 that if he is defeated he shall suffer what you have said, but if he is victorious he shall receive what I have said.^{[a] 59 129} For this is the way of which Moses, while he was alive, spoke to the people, saying, ‘Choose for yourself life, that you may live!’ ^60 130 But they did not believe him, or the prophets after him, or even myself who have spoken to them.