His winnowing shovel [Note: This was a process whereby grain was tossed into the air so that the wind could blow the husks away, leaving only good grain on the ground] is in His hand and He will completely clear off His threshing floor [by removing all of the husks]. And He will gather His wheat into the barn, but will burn up the husks with a fire that will never go out."

yet I tell you that even Solomon, clothed in his very finest royal robes, was never dressed [as luxuriously] as one of these flowers.

And then I will declare to them, 'I never acknowledged you [as my people]; go away from me, you people who have done sinful things.'

And when Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those who were following [along], "It is true when I tell to you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites.

The person who finds [everything to satisfy him in] this life [here on earth] will lose [never ending life]. But the person who [is willing to] lose [the comforts and security of] this life [here on earth] for my sake [i.e., in loyal service to me] will find it [i.e., never ending life]. [See Mark 10:29-30]

Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "I should say not, Lord; that will never happen to you."

and said, "Truly I tell you, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven unless you turn [your life around] and become like little children [i.e., having child-like humility].

If your hand or your foot becomes the occasion for you falling away [from God], cut them off and throw them away. It would be better for you to enter [never ending] life disabled or crippled, rather than keeping both hands and both feet and being thrown into the never ending fire [i.e., because they caused you to fall away from God].

And if your eye becomes the occasion for you falling away [from God], gouge it out and throw it away, for it would be better for you to enter [never ending] life with [only] one eye, rather than keeping both eyes and being thrown into a fiery hell [i.e., because one of them caused you to fall away from God].

Then a rich, young man [See verse 22] came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good deed should I do in order to have never ending life?"

Jesus answered him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is [only] One who is good [i.e., God]. But if you want to enter [never ending] life, [then] obey His commandments."

And every person who has left his house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children or property, for my name's sake [i.e., to become a servant of the Lord], will receive [back] a hundred times as much [in this life] and will [also] inherit never ending life.

There will be great trouble [during these times], such as had never been from the beginning of time up to the present, or ever will be [in the days to come].

Then He [i.e., the King] will say to those at His left side, 'Go away from me, you who are cursed [by God], into the never ending fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels.

And these [i.e., the ones at His left side] will go away to never ending punishment, but those who did what was right will go to never ending life."

Peter answered Him, "[Even] if everyone [else] has doubts about you, I never will."

So, he got up and immediately picked up his cot and walked out in front of them all, so that everyone was amazed and gave honor to God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this before."

And He replied to them, "Did you never read what King David did when he and his men were hungry and needed something to eat? [See I Sam. 21:6].

And if a kingdom is plagued by internal division, it will never survive.

And if a household is divided [by strife] within, that household will never last.

But the person who speaks against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven, for he is guilty of a never ending sin."

When Jesus saw a crowd running together [toward Him], He spoke sternly to the evil spirit [in the boy], saying to it, "You deaf-mute spirit, I order you to come out of this boy and to never return to him again."

And if your hand becomes the occasion for falling away [from God], cut it off; it would be better for you to enter [never ending] life disabled, rather than keeping both hands and going to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out [i.e., all because it caused you to fall away from God]. {{Verse

And if your foot becomes the occasion for falling away [from God], cut it off; it would be better for you to enter [never ending] life crippled, rather than keeping both feet and being thrown into hell. {{Verse

For in hell the worm of those who are there will never die [i.e., their gnawing punishment will never cease] and the fire [there] will never go out.

As Jesus was leaving to go on His way, a man ran to Him and kneeled down in front of Him and asked, "Good Teacher, what should I do in order to possess never ending life?"

but what he will receive [back] a hundred times as much now in this life --- houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children and property --- [yet] with persecutions. And in the coming age [he will receive] never ending life.

Have you never read this Scripture [Psa. 118:22-23], 'The building block rejected by the builders is the same [one] that was made the principal stone by which the entire building was aligned.

But concerning those who are raised from the dead, have you never read in the book of Moses, in the incident about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying [Ex. 3:6], 'I am Abraham's God, and Isaac's God, and Jacob's God?'

There will be great trouble during those days, such as had never been from the beginning of God's creation until the present, or even will be [in the days to come].

But Peter said to Him, "Although everyone else will have doubts [about you], I never will."

And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have never had sex with a man?"

and has been a widow [all these years], and is now eighty-four years old.) She has never left the Temple, but worships [God] by fasting [i.e., going without food and/or water for religious reasons] and praying night and day.

His separating shovel is in His hand and He will completely clear off His threshing floor [i.e., by removing all of the husks]. And He will gather the wheat into His barn, but will burn up the husks with a fire that will never go out."

And Jesus answered them, "Have you never read about what King David did when he and his men were hungry [I Sam. 21:6];

And when Jesus heard these things, He was amazed and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I tell you, I have never found [anyone with] such great faith, not [even] among the Israelites."

Just then a certain teacher of the law of Moses stood up and [attempted to] test Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit [never ending] life?"

"Consider how [wild] lilies grow; they do not work or weave, yet I tell you, even Solomon, clothed in his very finest royal robes, was never dressed [as luxuriously] as one of these [flowers].

But he replied to his father, 'Look, I have served you [as a slave] for all these years and have never disobeyed any of your orders, yet you never gave me [even] a young goat, so I could enjoy myself with my friends.

Whatever person tries to gain [everything to satisfy him in] life [here on earth] will lose it [i.e., never ending life]. But whatever person [is willing to] lose [the comforts and security of] his life [here on earth] will preserve it [for eternity].

Then a certain ruler [Note: This man was young and rich. See Matt. 19:16-22] asked Jesus, "Good Teacher, what should I do in order to inherit never ending life?"

who will not receive [back] many times as much [as he left in this life], and never ending life in the coming age."

So, they brought the colt to Jesus and spread their clothing on it, [then] placed Jesus on it [i.e., held the animal still as Jesus mounted it, since it had never been ridden before. See verse 30].

He will come and kill those tenant farmers and will give the vineyard to other people." And when the people heard [Him say] this, they said, "May that never happen."

but those who are considered worthy of gaining that age [i.e., the future, never ending state] and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given away in marriage.

[But], by holding out steadfastly, you will gain your life. [Note: This means either "preserve your earthly life," or "attain never ending life"].

For look, the time will come when people will be saying, 'Those [women] who are without children and who have never given birth or nursed babies are [truly] happy!'

so that whoever believes in Him would have never ending life." [Note: Some translations extend Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus through verse 21].

For God loved the world [of sinners] so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that every person who believes in Him would not [have to] be destroyed, but have never ending life.

The person who believes in the Son has never ending life, but the person who disobeys the Son will not see life [i.e., will not experience never ending life], but [instead], God's wrath remains on him.

but whoever drinks the water I give him will never get thirsty [again]. For the water I will give him will become in him [i.e., in his spirit] a spring of water, bubbling up and producing never ending life." [See John 7:38].

Already the person who is harvesting [the crop] is being paid for his work, and is gathering a crop for never ending life, so that the one planting and the one harvesting [the crop] may rejoice together.

"Truly, truly, I tell you, the person who listens to my message and believes [in] the One who sent me [i.e., God] has never ending life [i.e., as a hope. See Titus 1:2; 3:7]. He will not be judged [and condemned], but has [already] passed from being [spiritually] dead to being [spiritually] alive.

and they will come out [i.e., in the general resurrection on the last day]. Those who had done what was good will be raised [from the dead] to [never ending] life; and those who had done what was evil will be raised [from the dead] to judgment [i.e., to be condemned].

And the Father who sent me testifies concerning me. You people have never heard His voice nor seen His form.

You search through the Scriptures [i.e., the Old Testament], because you think that you will [learn how to] have never ending life by [reading] them. And these Scriptures are what testify concerning me.

But you do not want to come to me [i.e., to believe in me. See verse 38] so that you will have [never ending] life.

Do not work for the [kind of] food that spoils, but for the kind that lasts until never ending life. The Son of man will give you this [kind of food], for God the Father has placed His seal [of approval] on Him."

Jesus replied, "I am the bread who gives [spiritual] life; the person who comes to me will never get hungry [again], and the one who believes in me will never get thirsty [again].

Every person [Note: The Greek says, "every thing"] whom the Father gives me will [eventually] come to me [i.e., for salvation]; and I will never turn away that person who comes to me.

And this is what [else] my Father wants: That every person who sees the Son [i.e., with the eye of faith] and believes in Him should have never ending life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day."

Truly, truly, I tell you, the person who believes [in me] has never ending life. [See note on 5:24].

I am the living bread who came down from heaven; if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. Yes, and the bread that I will give [him] is my physical body, [so] that the world can have [never ending] life."

The person who eats my physical body and drinks my blood has never ending life [See note on 5:24], and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day [i.e., the judgment day].

Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, who [else] could we go to? You have the message about never ending life.

Now the Jewish authorities were amazed, saying, "How can this man know so much, since he has never been educated?"

But when they continued asking Him [about the woman], He stood up and said to them, "That person among you who has never sinned should be the first one to throw a stone at her."

So, Jesus spoke to them again [i.e., to the Jewish authorities. See 7:45], saying, "I am the light of the world. The person who becomes my follower will never live in [spiritual] darkness, but have the light of [i.e., for his] life [i.e., followers of Jesus will not live in error and sin but in truth and righteousness]."

They replied to Him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be set free'?"

Truly, truly, I tell you, if a person obeys my message, he will never die [i.e., spiritually]."

The Jews [i.e., the authorities] replied, "Now we know that you are dominated by an evil spirit. Abraham and the prophets [all] died and [yet] you are saying, 'If a person obeys my message, he will never experience death.'

It has never been heard of, since the world was created, that anyone has restored sight to a man born blind.

I give them never ending life and they will never be destroyed, and no one will [be able to] steal them out of my hand.

And whoever goes on living and believing in me, will never die [spiritually]. Do you believe this?"

The person who loves his [earthly] life will [eventually] lose it [forever], but the person who hates his life in this world will retain never ending life.

And I know that [obeying] His commandments [leads to] never ending life. So, the things which I say are what the Father has told me [to say]."

Peter said to Him, "[No], you will never wash my feet." Jesus replied to him, "If I do not wash you, you will not be able to participate with me [i.e., as a disciple]."

Just as you gave Him authority over all mankind, He will give never ending life to all those people [Note: The Greek word here is neuter gender, "all those things"] you have given Him.

And this is never ending life; that people may know you [as] the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One whom you have sent.

Jesus answered him, "I have spoken publicly to the world; I always taught in the synagogues and in the Temple, where all the Jews assemble. I have never said anything in secret.

But these [signs] are written down so that you will believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that when you believe [this], you will have [never ending] life in His name [i.e., through His person and work].

[Then, at the hands of the Roman authorities] you killed the Prince of [never ending] life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we [apostles] were [reliable] witnesses of it.

And so the Council agreed [with Gamaliel's advice] and when they called the apostles back in, they had them beaten and ordered them never to speak in the name of Jesus [again]; then they released them.

So, every day, they never stopped teaching and preaching that Jesus was the Christ [i.e., God's specially chosen one], in the Temple and in private homes.

But Peter answered, "No, Lord, I cannot. I have never eaten any such ordinary or [ceremonially] unfit creatures."

But I said, 'O no, Lord, for I have never even tasted anything ordinary or [ceremonially] unfit [for Jews to eat].'

So, when the apostles and the brothers from Judea heard these things, they stopped arguing [See verse 2] and gave honor to God, saying, "[This means] that God has permitted the Gentiles also [as well as the Jews] to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives] so they, too, could have [the promise of never ending] life."

[Now] in regard to God raising Him up from the dead, never to decay, He said this about it [Isa. 55:3], "I will give you the sacred and certain blessings promised to David."

But Jesus, whom God raised up [from the dead], never did decay.

But Paul and Barnabas [continued to] speak out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the message of God be delivered to you [Jews] first. But since you have rejected it and [thereby] consider yourselves to be unworthy of [receiving] never ending life, we [i.e., Paul and Barnabas] will now begin proclaiming it to the [unconverted] Gentiles.

And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and gave honor to the message of God [i.e., they accepted it as true]. And all those who were appointed [by God] to receive never ending life [through faith and obedience] became believers.

At Lystra they met a certain man sitting [on the street] who had a crippling handicap in his feet which he had suffered since birth. [It was so severe] he was never able to walk.

He asked them, "Did [any of] you receive the [indwelling] Holy Spirit when you became believers [in Jesus]?" They answered him, "No, we have never [even] heard that there was a Holy Spirit."

So, be very watchful, and remember that for three years I never stopped warning every one of you [about such matters] both night and day with tears [in my eyes].

"Now I commit you [elders] to God and to the message of His unearned favor which can build you up [spiritually] and provide you with the inheritance [of never ending life], along with others who are [specially] set apart [for God].

What saddened them most of all was when Paul said that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to his ship.

to open their eyes [to the truth] so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power [i.e., the influence] of Satan to God. [Then] they can receive the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance [of never ending life], along with [all] those who are set apart [for God] by trusting in Me.'

namely, that the Christ must suffer and be the first to rise from the dead [i.e., never to die again] and then proclaim the light [of the Gospel] to the [Jewish] people and to the Gentiles."

To the ones who continue doing what is good and who look for glory, honor and immortal life [God will give] never ending life.

Now the practice of circumcision [i.e., the Jewish rite of identity, signifying the responsibility to observe the law of Moses] is worthwhile, providing you obey [the rest of] the law of Moses. But if you disobey the law, you might as well have never been circumcised.