Who Is Greatest

24 And (A)a dispute also developed among them as to which one of them was regarded as being the greatest. 25 (B)And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles domineer over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26 But it is not this way for you; (C)rather, the one who is the greatest among you must become like (D)the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27 For (E)who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But (F)I am among you as the one who serves.

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24 A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.(A) 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,(B) and the one who rules like the one who serves.(C) 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.(D)

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48 But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My [a]master [b]is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and he eats and drinks with those habitually drunk; 50 then the [c]master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know, 51 and he will [d]cut him in two and assign [e]him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be (A)weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 24:48 Or lord
  2. Matthew 24:48 Lit lingers
  3. Matthew 24:50 Or lord
  4. Matthew 24:51 Possibly referring to other extreme punishment
  5. Matthew 24:51 Lit his portion with

48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.(A) 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(B)

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20 But the prophet who speaks a word (A)presumptuously in My name, a word which I have not commanded him to speak, or (B)which he speaks in the name of other gods, [a]that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How will we recognize the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 (C)When the prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, and the thing does not happen or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it (D)presumptuously; you are not to be afraid of him.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 18:20 Lit then that

20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,(A) is to be put to death.”(B)

21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true,(C) that is a message the Lord has not spoken.(D) That prophet has spoken presumptuously,(E) so do not be alarmed.

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16 This is what the Lord of armies says:
(A)Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.
They are (B)leading you into futility;
They tell a (C)vision of their own [a]imagination,
Not (D)from the mouth of the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 23:16 Lit heart

16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen(A) to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions(B) from their own minds,
    not from the mouth(C) of the Lord.

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A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the (A)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are (B)ravenous wolves. 16 You will [a](C)know them by their fruits. [b]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So (D)every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 (E)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will [c]know them (F)by their fruits.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:16 Or recognize
  2. Matthew 7:16 Lit They do not gather
  3. Matthew 7:20 Or recognize

True and False Prophets

15 “Watch out for false prophets.(A) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.(B) 16 By their fruit you will recognize them.(C) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?(D) 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.(E) 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.(F) 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

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