Matthew offers us the greatest variety of insights on our subject, but both Mark and Luke add important pieces.

Mark 9:42-48. A startling recollection that Mark has here of a word given by Jesus. He reports how Jesus took a child and used him as an example of what we are all to be. Jesus then encourages his followers to receive children in His name, and follows up with some of his harshest thoughts.

Jesus tells us that to cause a child - we presume the same kind of child he has been speaking of, but we cannot rule out a "child" in the faith - to be offended is to bring such judgment upon oneself as to make one prefer suicide. Then He immediately begins talking about radical struggle against sin. He says that if we lose that fight we will end up in a place of unquenchable fire. Three times he says this, and three times He illustrates it with the picture of a worm that does not die.

You'll hear various ideas about what that "worm" is. Some say it is that creature that preys on all dead bodies. But if the body cannot die (per Revelation), and the worm decaying it cannot die, you have an eternal torment. Oh, too awful to consider.

And that is what Jesus wants us to know. The fight against sin is worth all the effort.

As I said earlier, we will study the word for everlasting and eternal. But Mark doesn't need such a word. Unquenchable and an un-dying worm tell us all we need to know.

Mark 16:16. Very simply put here: You don't believe? You'll be damned. How can we miss what He is saying?

Luke 12:9. When one denies Jesus, Jesus will in turn make a public proclamation, with angels as witnesses, that He denies that person. Does it seem likely that such a statement will be later changed by the Christ whose word is eternal and unchanging?

Luke 12:47-48. In this parable is offered the possibility of degrees of punishment. Beatings are commanded for two sets of servants. One group knew what they were supposed to do and did not prepare themselves accordingly. Irresponsible servants. The other, who will receive a lesser sentence, simply did not know. Ignorant servants.

These verses taken in isolation seem to indicate that though all will be punished, still they are servants and will eventually be in favor with the master.

Forgotten is that third category of servants in the verses above (45-46). These men are so willfully evil that they are "cut in two" and placed in the unbelievers' place of punishment. We saw this picture in Matthew, but here it is connected to the section that allows for the salvation of some very imperfect believers.

All in all the parable is a perfect picture of the various grades of evil. But the line is clear. Believers live with Jesus forever, forever His servants. Unbelievers do not.

Luke 12:51-53. Here is Jesus' discussion of division. Jesus did not come to unite us all into one big family. He came to divide us from one another. Evil cannot live with good. Not here, not there. The Universalists have in common with the Romanists and the ecumenists of all ages that they hold to the "mixture".

But God calls His people out. Separation. Holiness. We are not the same as the world.

Luke 13:1-5. Twice in this passage Jesus says that unless we repent we shall suffer a horrible death.

Or does He? Actually, first He says that dying a horrible death is not to be considered a sign that the dead were more evil than those who were spared. All unrepentant, He says, will suffer such a catastrophe eventually.

But, we all know of godly people who also died awful deaths, for example at the hands of persecutors. And we know of ungodly who have died in their sleep. That tells us that Jesus is not talking about physical death here.