Matthew 20:16
16So athe last will be first, and the first last.”Matthew 22:14
14For many are bcalled, but few are cchosen.”Matthew 25:1-12
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like dten virgins who took their lamps ▼▼Or torches
and went to meet fthe bridegroom. ▼▼Some manuscripts add and the bride
2Five of them were foolish, and five were hwise. 3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom iwas delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6But jat midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those virgins rose and ktrimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and lthose who were ready went in with him to mthe marriage feast, and nthe door was shut. 11Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, o‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 pBut he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, qI do not know you.’ Luke 12:32
32 r“Fear not, little sflock, for tit is your Father’s good pleasure to give you uthe kingdom.Luke 13:23-30
23And someone said to him, “Lord, vwill those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 w“Strive xto enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 yWhen once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, z‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, aa‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26Then you will begin to say, ab‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27But he will say, ‘I tell you, acI do not know where you come from. adDepart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 aeIn that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see afAbraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but agyou yourselves cast out. 29And ahpeople will come from east and west, and from north and south, and airecline at table in the kingdom of God. 30And behold, ajsome are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”Romans 9:27-29
27And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: ak“Though the number of the sons of Israel ▼▼Or children of Israel
be as the sand of the sea, amonly a remnant of them will be saved, 28for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29And as Isaiah predicted, an, ao“If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,
apwe would have been like Sodom
and become like Gomorrah.”
Romans 9:32
32Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the aqstumbling stone,Romans 11:5-6
5So too at the present time there is ara remnant, chosen by grace. 6 asBut if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
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