Build on the Rock^(A)

²⁴ “Therefore ^(B)whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

^47 (A)Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: ⁴⁸ He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was ^[a]founded on the rock. ⁴⁹ But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it ^[b]fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

^17 (A)If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

^10 (A)According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid ^(B)the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than ^(C)that which is laid, ^(D)which is Jesus Christ.

²⁸ But He said, ^(A)“More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

The Test of Knowing Him

³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” ^(A)Show me your faith without ^[a]your works, ^(B)and I will show you my faith by ^[b]my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is ^[c]dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works ^(C)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see ^(D)that faith was working together with his works, and by ^(E)works faith was made ^[d]perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ^(F)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called ^(G)the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, ^(H)was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

²² And ^(A)whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments ^(B)and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. ²³ And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ ^(C)and love one another, as He gave ^[a]us commandment.

The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error

²⁴ Now ^(D)he who keeps His commandments ^(E)abides in Him, and He in him. And ^(F)by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.