True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(A) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(B) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^(C)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(A)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(B) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Dealing With Sin in the Church

¹⁵ “If your brother or sister^[a] sins,^[b] go and point out their fault,^(A) just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’^{[c](B) 17} If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;^(C) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.^(D)

¹⁸ “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be^[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[e] loosed in heaven.^(E)

¹⁹ “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them^(F) by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”^(G)

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin^(A) but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine,^(A) which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,^(B)

²¹ To this^(A) you were called,^(B) because Christ suffered for you,^(C) leaving you an example,^(D) that you should follow in his steps.

²³ When they hurled their insults at him,^(G) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.^(H) Instead, he entrusted himself^(I) to him who judges justly.^{(J) 24} “He himself bore our sins”^(K) in his body on the cross,^(L) so that we might die to sins^(M) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”^{(N) 25} For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[b](O) but now you have returned to the Shepherd^(P) and Overseer of your souls.^(Q)

More on Love and Hatred

¹¹ For this is the message you heard^(A) from the beginning:^(B) We should love one another.^(C)

¹² No one has ever seen God;^(A) but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.^(B)

¹³ This is how we know^(C) that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.^(D)