While he was still talking, suddenly a bright cloud engulfed them. Just then, a voice spoke out of the cloud, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, who is very pleasing to me; listen to Him.”
“If anyone comes to me [i.e., to be my disciple], and does not hate his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers and sisters and, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
He is like a man building a house, who dug deep to lay the foundation on rock. And when a flood came the river pounded against that house, but could not shake it because it had been well built.
And those people [represented by the seed falling] on rocky ground are those who, upon hearing the word [of God], accept it gladly, but since they have no root [system], they believe it for [only] awhile, and [then] in times of trial fall away [from God].
And [still] other [seed] fell into fertile soil; it grew and produced a crop of one hundred times [as much as was planted].” As He said these things, He called out; “The person who has ears to hear with ought to listen [to this] carefully.”
Jesus replied, “I am the bread who gives [spiritual] life; the person who comes to me will never get hungry [again], and the one who believes in me will never get thirsty [again].
Every person [Note: The Greek says, “every thing”] whom the Father gives me will [eventually] come to me [i.e., for salvation]; and I will never turn away that person who comes to me.
The Jews [i.e., the authorities] replied, “Now we know that you are dominated by an evil spirit. Abraham and the prophets [all] died and [yet] you are saying, ‘If a person obeys my message, he will never experience death.’
So, brothers, be diligent to make sure of your calling and election [i.e., of your status as being selected by God], for when you do, you will never stumble [and fall away from God].
If you know that Christ is [truly] righteous [verse 1], then you should also know that everyone who does what is right has been [spiritually] conceived [and eventually born] by God [See 5:18].
Little children [i.e., dear ones], do not allow anyone to lead you astray [from the truth]; the person who continues to do what is right is [considered by God as] righteous, even as Christ is righteous.
Those who wash their robes are blessed because [then] they will have the right to [eat from] the tree of life, and will [be able to] enter the city through the gates.