20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds (A)the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

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20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.(A)

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For I bear them witness (A)that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of (B)God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own (C)righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.

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For I can testify about them that they are zealous(A) for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.(B)

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and be found in Him, not having (A)my own righteousness, which is from the law, but (B)that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

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and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,(A) but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness(B) that comes from God on the basis of faith.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Philippians 3:9 Or through the faithfulness of

Present Condition of Israel

30 What shall we say then? (A)That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, (B)even the righteousness of faith; 31 but Israel, (C)pursuing the law of righteousness, (D)has not attained to the law [a]of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, [b]by the works of the law. For (E)they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:31 NU omits of righteousness
  2. Romans 9:32 NU by works, omitting of the law

Israel’s Unbelief

30 What then shall we say?(A) That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;(B) 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,(C) have not attained their goal.(D) 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.(E)

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The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom

14 Now the Pharisees, (A)who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they [a]derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who (B)justify yourselves (C)before men, but (D)God knows your hearts. For (E)what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 16:14 Lit. turned up their nose at

14 The Pharisees, who loved money,(A) heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.(B) 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves(C) in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts.(D) What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

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saying: (A)“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you [a]to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for (B)they say, and do not do. (C)For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to (D)be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:3 NU omits to observe

“The teachers of the law(A) and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.(B)

“Everything they do is done for people to see:(C) They make their phylacteries[a](D) wide and the tassels on their garments(E) long;

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:5 That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (A)unless one is born [a]again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, (B)unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:3 Or from above

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a](A)

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. John 3:3 The Greek for again also means from above; also in verse 7.

14 (A)Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, (B)without which no one will see the Lord:

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Warning and Encouragement

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone(A) and to be holy;(B) without holiness no one will see the Lord.(C)

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23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (A)For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and (B)have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (C)For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and [a]self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (D)For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 23:25 M unrighteousness

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth(A) of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.(B) You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides!(C) You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish,(D) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.(E) 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,(F) which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

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17 Therefore, if anyone (A)is in Christ, he is (B)a new creation; (C)old things have passed away; behold, all things have become (D)new.

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17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,(A) the new creation(B) has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!(C)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Or Christ, that person is a new creation.

27 But (A)there shall by no means enter it anything [a]that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s (B)Book of Life.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 21:27 NU, M profane, nor one who causes

27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,(A) but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.(B)

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I Never Knew You(A)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, (B)‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who (C)does the will of My Father in heaven.

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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)

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With God All Things Are Possible(A)

24 And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, (B)“How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

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24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!(A) 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

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