¹¹ Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law^(A) since the death of your husband^(B)—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know^(C) before.^(D)

³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.^(A)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come^(A) eternal life.”^(B)

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.^{(A) 25} He chose to be mistreated^(B) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He regarded disgrace^(C) for the sake of Christ^(D) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.^(E)

¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.^(A)

¹⁴ At this they wept^(A) aloud again. Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law^(B) goodbye,^(C) but Ruth clung to her.^(D)

¹⁵ “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law^(E) is going back to her people and her gods.^(F) Go back with her.”

¹⁶ But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you^(G) or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,^(H) and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people^(I) and your God my God.^{(J) 17} Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(K) if even death separates you and me.”^{(L) 18} When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.^(M)

¹⁹ So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem.^(N) When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred^(O) because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?”

²⁰ “Don’t call me Naomi,^[a]” she told them. “Call me Mara,^[b] because the Almighty^[c](P) has made my life very bitter.^{(Q) 21} I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.^(R) Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted^[d] me;^(S) the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

²² So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite,^(T) her daughter-in-law,^(U) arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest^(V) was beginning.^(W)

⁸ By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,^(A) obeyed and went,^(B) even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹ By faith he made his home in the promised land^(C) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,^(D) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.^(E)

²³ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?