The Narrow Gate

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy^[a] that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.^{(A) 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)

Jesus the Good Shepherd

10 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.^{(A) 3} The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁷ So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me^[a] are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.^(B)

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^{(C) 12} The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.^{(D) 13} The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.^{(E) 17} For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes^[b] it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

¹⁹ Again the Jews were divided because of these words.^{(F) 20} Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?”^{(G) 21} Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”^(H)

Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews

²² At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon.^{(I) 24} So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,^[c] tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me,^{(J) 26} but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep.^{(K) 27} My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.^{(L) 28} I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.^{(M) 29} My Father, in regard to what he has given me, is greater than all,^[d] and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.^{(N) 30} The Father and I are one.”

³¹ The Jews took up stones again to stone him. ³² Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human, are making yourself God.”^{(O) 34} Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law,^[e] ‘I said, you are gods’?^{(P) 35} If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— ³⁶ can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?^{(Q) 37} If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me.^{(R) 38} But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand^[f] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”^{(S) 39} Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.^(T)

Response to Ezra’s Questions

7 When I had finished speaking these words, the angel who had been sent to me on the former nights was sent to me again.^{(A) 2} He said to me, “Rise, Ezra, and listen to the words that I have come to speak to you.”

³ I said, “Speak, my lord.” And he said to me, “There is a sea set in a wide expanse so that it is deep and vast, ⁴ but it has an entrance set in a narrow place, so that it is like a river. ⁵ If there are those who wish to reach the sea, to look at it or to navigate it, how can they come to the broad part unless they pass through the narrow part?^{(B) 6} Another example: There is a city built and set on a plain, and it is full of all good things, ⁷ but the entrance to it is narrow and set in a precipitous place, so that there is fire on the right hand and deep water on the left.^{(C) 8} There is only one path lying between them, that is, between the fire and the water, so that only one person can walk on the path. ⁹ If now the city is given to someone as an inheritance, how will the heir receive the inheritance unless by passing through the appointed danger?”

¹⁰ I said, “That is right, lord.” He said to me, “So also is Israel’s portion. ¹¹ For I made the world for their sake, and when Adam transgressed my statutes, what had been made was judged.^{(D) 12} And so the entrances of this world were made narrow and sorrowful and toilsome; they are few and evil, full of dangers and involved in great hardships.^{(E) 13} But the entrances of the greater world are broad and safe and yield the fruit of immortality.^{(F) 14} Therefore unless the living pass through the difficult and futile experiences, they can never receive those things that have been reserved for them.^{(G) 15} Now, therefore, why are you disturbed, seeing that you are to perish? Why are you moved, seeing that you are mortal? ¹⁶ Why have you not considered in your mind what is to come rather than what is now present?”

The Fate of the Ungodly

¹⁷ Then I answered and said, “O sovereign Lord, you have ordained in your law that the righteous shall inherit these things but that the ungodly shall perish.^{(H) 18} The righteous, therefore, can endure difficult circumstances while hoping for easier ones, but those who have done wickedly have suffered the difficult circumstances and will never see the easier ones.”^(I)

¹⁹ He said to me, “You are not a better judge than the Lord^[a] or wiser than the Most High!^{(J) 20} Let many perish who are now living rather than that the law of God that is set before them be disregarded! ²¹ For the Lord^[b] strictly commanded those who came into the world, when they came, what they should do to live and what they should observe to avoid punishment.^{(K) 22} Nevertheless, they were not obedient and spoke against him;

²⁵ “That is the reason, Ezra, that empty things are for the empty and full things are for the full.^(O)

The Temporary Messianic Kingdom

²⁶ “For indeed the time will come when the signs that I have foretold to you will come to pass, that the city that now is not seen shall appear^[c] and the land that now is hidden shall be disclosed.^{(P) 27} Everyone who has been delivered from the evils that I have foretold shall see my wonders.^{(Q) 28} For my son the Messiah^[d] shall be revealed with those who are with him, and those who remain shall rejoice four hundred years.^{(R) 29} After those years my son the Messiah shall die, and all who draw human breath.^{[e](S) 30} Then the world shall be turned back to primeval silence for seven days, as it was at the first beginnings, so that no one shall be left.^{(T) 31} After seven days the world that is not yet awake shall be roused, and that which is corruptible shall perish. ³² The earth shall give up those who are asleep in it and the dust those who rest there in silence, and the chambers shall give up the souls that have been committed to them.^{(U) 33} The Most High shall be revealed on the seat of judgment, and compassion shall pass away, and patience shall be withdrawn.^{[f](V) 34} Only judgment shall remain, truth shall stand, and faithfulness shall grow strong.^{(W) 35} Recompense shall follow, and the reward shall be manifested; righteous deeds shall awake, and unrighteous deeds shall not sleep.^{(X) 36} The pit^[g] of torment shall appear, and opposite it shall be the place of rest, and the furnace of Gehenna shall be disclosed, and opposite it the paradise of delight.^{(Y) 37} Then the Most High will say to the nations that have been raised from the dead, ‘Look now, and understand whom you have denied, whom you have not served, whose commandments you have despised. ³⁸ Look on this side and on that; here are delight and rest, and there are fire and torments.’ Thus he will speak to them on the day of judgment,^{(Z) 39} a day that has no sun or moon or stars,^{(AA) 40} or cloud or thunder or lightning, or wind or water or air, or darkness or evening or morning, ⁴¹ or summer or spring or heat or winter^[h] or frost or cold, or hail or rain or dew, ⁴² or noon or night, or dawn or shining or brightness or light, but only the splendor of the glory of the Most High, by which all shall see what has been destined.^{(AB) 43} It will last as though for a week of years. ⁴⁴ This is my judgment and its prescribed order, and to you alone I have shown these things.”^(AC)

Only a Few Will Be Saved

⁴⁵ I answered and said, “O sovereign Lord, I said then and^[i] I say now: Blessed are those who are alive and keep your commandments!^{(AD) 46} But what of those for whom I prayed? For who among the living is there who has not sinned, or who is there among mortals who has not transgressed your covenant?^{(AE) 47} And now I see that the world to come will bring delight to few but torments to many.^{(AF) 48} For an evil heart has grown up in us that has alienated us from these and has brought us into corruption and the ways of death and has shown us the paths of perdition and removed us far from life—and that not merely for a few but for almost all who have been created.”^(AG)

⁴⁹ He answered me and said, “Listen to me, Ezra,^[j] and I will instruct you and will admonish you once more. ⁵⁰ For this reason the Most High has made not one world but two.^{(AH) 51} Inasmuch as you have said that the righteous are not many but few, while the ungodly abound, hear the explanation for this.

⁵² “If you have just a few precious stones, will you add to them lead and clay?”^{[k] 53} I said, “Lord, how could that be?” ⁵⁴ And he said to me, “Not only that, but ask the earth, and she will tell you; defer to her, and she will declare it to you.^{(AI) 55} Say to her, ‘You produce gold and silver and bronze and also iron and lead and clay,^{(AJ) 56} but silver is more abundant than gold, and bronze than silver, and iron than bronze, and lead than iron, and clay than lead.’ ⁵⁷ Judge therefore which things are precious and desirable, those that are abundant or those that are rare?”

⁵⁸ I said, “O sovereign Lord, what is plentiful is of less worth, for what is more rare is more precious.”

⁵⁹ He answered me and said, “Consider within yourself what you have thought, for the person who has what is hard to get rejoices more than the person who has what is plentiful. ⁶⁰ So also will be the judgment^[l] that I have promised, for I will rejoice over the few who shall be saved because it is they who have made my glory to prevail now, and through them my name has now been honored.^{(AK) 61} I will not grieve over the great number of those who perish, for it is they who are now like a mist and are similar to a flame and smoke—they are set on fire and burn hotly and are extinguished.”^(AL)