Thereforelet us be diligentto enterthat rest,sothat noonewill fall,through[following] the sameexampleof disobedience.
And to whomdid He swearthat they would not enterHis rest,but to thosewhowere disobedient?
"Striveto enterthroughthe narrowdoor;for many,I tellyou, will seekto enterand will not be able.
And we desirethat each oneof you showthe samediligencesoas to realize the full assuranceof hopeuntilthe end,
Let no onedeceiveyou with emptywords,for becauseof these thingsthe wrathof Godcomesupon the sonsof disobedience.
Take care,brethren,that there not be in any oneof you an evil,unbelievingheartthat falls awayfrom the livingGod.
They professto knowGod,but by [their] deedsthey deny[Him], beingdetestableand disobedientand worthlessfor anygooddeed.
So then,my beloved,justas you have alwaysobeyed,not as in my presenceonly,but nowmuchmorein my absence,workout your salvationwith fearand trembling;
For we alsooncewere foolishourselves,disobedient,deceived,enslavedto variouslustsand pleasures,spending our lifein maliceand envy,hateful,hatingone another.
For it is becauseof these thingsthat the wrathof Godwill comeupon the sonsof disobedience,
"So,KingAgrippa,I did not provedisobedientto the heavenlyvision,
"The Lawand the Prophets[were proclaimed] untilJohn;sincethat timethe gospelof the kingdomof Godhas been preached,and everyoneis forcing his wayinto it.
"From the daysof Johnthe Baptistuntilnowthe kingdomof heavensuffers violence,and violent mentake it by force.
"Enterthroughthe narrowgate; for the gateis wideand the wayis broadthat leadsto destruction,and thereare manywho enterthroughit.
in whichyou formerlywalkedaccordingto the courseof thisworld,accordingto the princeof the powerof the air,of the spiritthat is nowworkingin the sonsof disobedience.
"Do not workfor the foodwhich perishes,but for the foodwhich enduresto eternallife,whichthe Sonof Manwill giveto you, for on Him the Father,God,has set His seal."
Therefore,sinceit remainsfor someto enterit, and thosewhoformerlyhad good news preachedto them failedto enterbecauseof disobedience,
and [if] He condemnedthe citiesof Sodomand Gomorrahto destructionby reducing [them] to ashes,having madethem an exampleto those who wouldlive ungodly[lives] thereafter;
They returnedto Joshuaand saidto him, "Do not let allthe peoplegoup; [only] about two orthreethousandmenneed goup to Ai;do not make allthe peopletoilup there,for they are few."
