The One Who Sins Will Die

18 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:

³ “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb^(B) in Israel. ⁴ For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins^(C) is the one who will die.^(D)

²⁵ “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’^(A) Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust?^(B) Is it not your ways that are unjust? ²⁶ If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. ²⁷ But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.^{(C) 28} Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.^{(D) 29} Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

³⁰ “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!^(E) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.^{(F) 31} Rid^(G) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart^(H) and a new spirit. Why^(I) will you die, people of Israel?^{(J) 32} For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent^(K) and live!^(L)

Psalm 25^[a]

Of David.

Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,^(A) if any tenderness and compassion,^{(B) 2} then make my joy complete^(C) by being like-minded,^(D) having the same love, being one^(E) in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.^(F) Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,^{(G) 4} not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.^(H)

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:^(A)

Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,^{(N) 13} for it is God who works in you^(O) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^(P)

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling^(A) or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless^(B) and pure, “children of God^(C) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[a](D) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ^(E) that I did not run^(F) or labor in vain.^{(G) 17} But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering^(H) on the sacrifice^(I) and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.^{(J) 18} So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned^(A)

²³ Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority^(B) are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ²⁵ John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”^(C)

²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”

Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’^(A)

²⁹ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

³⁰ “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

³¹ “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors^(B) and the prostitutes^(C) are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³² For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,^(D) and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors^(E) and the prostitutes^(F) did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent^(G) and believe him.