Then Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. You must change and become like little children \{in your hearts\}. If you don’t do this, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Then Peter remembered what Jesus had told him: “Before the rooster crows, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
After Peter said this, the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered what Jesus told him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” Then Peter was very sad and began to cry.
Now go and tell his followers. And \{be sure to\} tell Peter. Tell them, ‘Jesus is going into Galilee. He will be there before you. You will see him there like he told you before.’”
What is the seed that fell on rock? That is like the people that hear God’s teaching and accept it gladly. But these people don’t have deep roots. They believe for a while. But when trouble comes, they turn away from God.
Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died \{for us\}, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side and is begging God for us.
They have left the true teaching. They say that the rising from death \{of all people\} has already happened. And those two men are destroying the faith of some people.
Greetings from Paul, a servant of God and an apostle {\cf2\super [1]} of Jesus Christ. I was sent to help the faith of God’s chosen people. I was sent to help those people to know the truth. And that truth shows people how to serve God.
Be careful that no person fails to get God’s grace (kindness). Be careful that no person becomes like a bitter weed growing among you. A person like that can ruin your whole group.
So Christ can save those people who come to God through him. Christ can do this forever, because he always lives, ready to help people when they come before God.
So prepare your minds for service, and have self-control. All your hope should be for the gift of grace (kindness) that will be yours when Jesus Christ appears (comes).
God’s power protects you through your faith, and it keeps you safe until your salvation comes. That salvation is ready to be given to you at the end of time.
Those enemies of Christ were in our group. But they left us. They did not really belong with us. If they were really part of our group, then they would have stayed with us. But they left. This shows that none of them really belonged with us.