Be careful that no one fails to gain God's favor, or some poisonous root may come up to trouble and contaminate you all??16 some immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his very birthright for one single meal.

Do not forget your former leaders, the men who brought you God's message. Remember how they ended their lives and imitate their faith.

That is true; but it was for their want of faith that they were broken off, and it is through your faith that you stand where you do. You ought not to feel proud; you ought to be afraid,

So the man who thinks he can stand must be on his guard against a fall.

A promise

So there must still be a promised Sabbath of Rest for God's people.

What if some of them have shown a lack of faith? Can their lack of it nullify the faithfulness of God?

If we are unfaithful, he will remain faithful, for he cannot be false to himself!"

His

For we who have believed are admitted to that Rest, of which he said, "As I made oath in my anger, They shall never be admitted to my Rest!" And yet God's work was finished at the creation of the world,

But as I made oath in my anger, They shall never be admitted to my Rest!"

Any

It is not everyone who says to me 'Lord! Lord!' who will get into the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven.

But if he is a bad slave and says to himself, 'My master is going to stay a long time,'

"Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

But if the slave says to himself, 'My master is not coming back for a long time,' and begins to beat the men and women slaves and to eat and drink and get drunk,

when the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock on the door, and say, 'Open it for us, sir!' Then he will answer you and say, 'I do not know where you come from,'

For all men sin and come short of the glory of God,

So that is the way I run, unswervingly. That is the way I fight, not punching the air.

General references

But many who are first now will be last then, and many who are now last will be first.

And the whole church and all who heard this were appalled.