"My sheephearMy voice,and I knowthem, and they followMe;
Elijahcamenearto allthe peopleand said,"Howlong[will] you hesitatebetweentwoopinions?Ifthe LORDis God,followHim; but ifBaal,followhim." But the peopledid not answerhim a word.
"For justas the newheavensand the newearthWhichI makewill endurebeforeMe," declaresthe LORD,"Soyour offspringand your namewill endure.
ThenJesussaidto His disciples,"Ifanyonewishesto comeafterMe, he must denyhimself,and takeup his crossand followMe.
While he was stillspeaking,a brightcloudovershadowedthem, and behold,a voiceout of the cloudsaid,"Thisis My belovedSon,with whomI am well-pleased;listento Him!"
"But he answered,'TrulyI sayto you, I do not knowyou.'
"And thenI will declareto them, 'I neverknewyou; DEPARTFROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICELAWLESSNESS.'
Lookingat him, Jesusfelt a lovefor him and saidto him, "One thingyou lack:goand sellallyou possessand giveto the poor,and you will havetreasurein heaven;and come,followMe."
And He summonedthe crowdwith His disciples,and saidto them, "Ifanyonewishesto comeafterMe, he must denyhimself,and takeup his crossand followMe.
and He will say, 'I tellyou, I do not knowwhereyou are from; DEPARTFROM ME, ALLYOU EVILDOERS.'
And He was sayingto [them] all,"Ifanyonewishesto comeafterMe, he must denyhimself,and takeup his crossdailyand followMe.
"I amthe goodshepherd,and I knowMy ownand My ownknowMe,
"I haveothersheep,whichare not of thisfold;I mustbringthem also,and they will hearMy voice;and they will becomeoneflock[with] oneshepherd.
"AllwhocamebeforeMe are thievesand robbers,but the sheepdid not hearthem.
"IfanyoneservesMe, he must followMe; and whereI am,thereMy servantwill be also;ifanyoneservesMe, the Fatherwill honorhim.
Jesussaidto him, "IfI wanthim to remainuntilI come,what[is that] to you? You followMe!"
"Truly,truly,I sayto you, an houris comingand nowis, whenthe deadwill hearthe voiceof the Sonof God,and thosewho hearwill live.
ThenJesusagainspoketo them, saying,"I amthe Lightof the world;he who followsMe will not walkin the darkness,but will havethe Lightof life."
"Whydo you not understandwhat I am saying?[It is] becauseyou cannothearMy word.
And it will be that everysoulthat does not heedthat prophetshall be utterly destroyedfrom amongthe people.'
but ifanyonelovesGod,he is knownby Him.
But nowthat you have come to knowGod,orratherto be knownby God,howis it that you turn backagainto the weakand worthlesselemental things,to whichyou desireto be enslavedall overagain?
Nevertheless,the firmfoundationof Godstands,havingthisseal,"The Lordknowsthosewho are His," and, "Everyonewho namesthe nameof the Lordis to abstainfrom wickedness."
Therefore,justas the HolySpiritsays,"TODAYIFYOU HEARHIS VOICE,
Theseare the ones who have not been defiledwith women,for they have kept themselveschaste.These[are] the ones who followthe LambwhereverHe goes.Thesehave been purchasedfrom amongmenas first fruitsto Godand to the Lamb.
Behold,I standat the doorand knock;ifanyonehearsMy voiceand opensthe door,I will comein to him and will dinewith him, and he with Me.
