¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.^{(A) 25} Once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’^{(B) 26} Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’^{(C) 28} There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out.^{(D) 29} Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and take their places at the banquet in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”^(E)

¹⁴ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

The Cross and Self-Denial

²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(A) 25} For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

² Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.^[a](A)

³⁴ He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any wish to come^[a] after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^(A)

²² There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.”^(A)

The World’s Hatred

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.^{(A) 19} If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Slaves are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.^(B)