22
He was passing through town after town and village after village, steadily proceeding towards Jerusalem,
23
when some one asked Him, "Sir, are there but few who are to be saved?"
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"Strain every nerve to force your way in through the narrow gate," He answered; "for multitudes, I tell you, will endeavour to find a way in and will not succeed.
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As soon as the Master of the house shall have risen and shut the door, and you have begun to stand outside and knock at the door and say, "`Sir, open the door for us' --"`I do not know you,' He answers; `you are no friends of mine.'
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"Then you will plead, "`We have eaten and drunk in your company and you have taught in our streets.'
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"But He will reply, "`I tell you that you are no friends of mine. Begone from me, all of you, wrongdoers that you are.'
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"There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves being driven far away.
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They will come from east and west, from north and south, and will sit down at the banquet in the Kingdom of God.
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And I tell you that some now last will then be first, and some now first will then be last."