My followers will call to me for help,\par and I will answer them.\par I will be with them when they have trouble.\par I will rescue them and honor them.\par
A person who cares for fig trees will be able to eat their fruit. In the same way, a person who cares for his master will be rewarded. His master will care for him.
But my servant Caleb was different. He follows me completely. So I will bring him into the land that he has already seen. And his people will get that land.
‘None of the people who came from Egypt and are 20 years old or older will be allowed to see this land. I made a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I promised to give this land to these people. But they have not truly followed me. {So they will not get this land}.
Then Jesus said to his followers, “If any person wants to follow me, he must say ‘No’ to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him, and he must follow me.
“The master answered, ‘You did right. You are a good servant that can be trusted. You did well with that small amount of money. So I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my happiness with me.’
Those servants will be blessed when their master comes home, because he sees that his servants are ready and waiting for him. I tell you the truth. The master will dress himself for work and tell the servants to sit at the table. Then the master will serve them.
Jesus continued to say to all of them, “If any person wants to follow me, he must say ‘No’ to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him every day, and he must follow me.
Remember the lesson I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If people did wrong to me, then they will do wrong to you too. And if people obeyed my teaching, then they will obey yours too.
“Father, I want these people that you have given me to be with me in every place I am. I want them to see my glory. This is the glory you gave me because you loved me before the world was made.
Greetings from Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus. God called me to be an apostle. {\cf2\super [1]} I was chosen to tell God’s Good News {\cf2\super [2]} to all people.
Now do you think I am trying to make people accept me? No! God is the One I am trying to please. Am I trying to please people? If I wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.
Epaphras also says hello. He is a servant of Jesus Christ. And he is from your group. He always prays for you. He prays that you will grow to be spiritually mature (perfect) and have everything that God wants for you.
Grace (kindness), mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from his Son, Jesus Christ. We receive these blessings through truth and love.
These 144,000 people are the ones who did not do wrong things with women. They kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb every place he goes. These 144,000 were redeemed (saved) from among the people of the earth. They are the first people to be offered to God and the Lamb.
“The Lord God of Israel promised that your father’s family would serve him forever. But now the Lord says this, ‘That will never be! I will honor people who honor me. But bad things will happen to people who refuse to respect me.