The Future Glory of Israel

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and ^(A)charge them before God^{[a] (B)}not to quarrel about words, ^(C)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[b] a worker ^(D)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(E)avoid ^(F)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(G)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(H)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(I)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(J)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ Now in ^(K)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, ^(L)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, ^(M)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,^[c] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ^(N)ready for every good work.

²² So ^(O)flee ^(P)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with ^(Q)those who call on the Lord ^(R)from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant ^(S)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And ^(T)the Lord's servant^[d] must not be quarrelsome but ^(U)kind to everyone, ^(V)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(W)with gentleness. God ^(X)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(Y)leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(Z)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

The Rich Young Man

^17 (A)And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and ^(B)knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to ^(C)inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ^(D)‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” ²⁰ And he said to him, “Teacher, ^(E)all these I have kept from my youth.” ²¹ And Jesus, ^(F)looking at him, ^(G)loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, ^(H)sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have ^(I)treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” ^22 (J)Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

²³ And Jesus ^(K)looked around and said to his disciples, ^(L)“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter ^(M)the kingdom of God!” ²⁴ And the disciples ^(N)were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, ^(O)“Children, ^(P)how difficult it is^[a] to enter ^(Q)the kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter ^(R)the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,^[b] “Then who can be saved?” ²⁷ Jesus ^(S)looked at them and said, ^(T)“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” ²⁸ Peter began to say to him, “See, ^(U)we have left everything and followed you.” ²⁹ Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, ^(V)there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and ^(W)for the gospel, ³⁰ who will not receive a hundredfold ^(X)now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, ^(Y)with persecutions, and in ^(Z)the age to come eternal life. ³¹ But ^(AA)many who are first will be last, and the last first.”