The Golden Rule

¹² “So ^(A)whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is ^(B)the Law and the Prophets.

^13 (C)“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and ^(D)the way is hard that leads to life, and ^(E)those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

^15 (F)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ^(G)ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them ^(H)by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, ^(I)every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ^19 (J)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them ^(K)by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

^21 (L)“Not everyone who ^(M)says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will ^(N)enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who ^(O)does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ^22 (P)On that day ^(Q)many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not ^(R)prophesy in your name, and cast out demons ^(S)in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ^23 (T)And then will I declare to them, ‘I ^(U)never knew you; ^(V)depart from me, ^(W)you workers of lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

^24 (X)“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like ^(Y)a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like ^(Z)a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

⁴ For ^(A)when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” ^(B)are you not being merely human?

⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? ^(C)Servants through whom you believed, ^(D)as the Lord assigned to each. ^6 (E)I planted, ^(F)Apollos watered, ^(G)but God gave the growth.

⁹ For we are ^(A)God's fellow workers. You are God's field, ^(B)God's building.

^10 (C)According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled^[a] master builder I laid a ^(D)foundation, and ^(E)someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. ¹¹ For no one can lay a ^(F)foundation other ^(G)than that which is laid, ^(H)which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ^13 (I)each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed ^(J)by fire, and ^(K)the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, ^(L)he will receive a reward.

Our Heavenly Dwelling

5 For we know that if ^(A)the tent that is ^(B)our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, ^(C)a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

⁴⁸ he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.^[a]

^31 (A)And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for ^(B)with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

^19 (A)You believe that God is one; you do well. Even ^(B)the demons believe—and shudder!

For God So Loved the World

¹⁶ “For ^(A)God so loved ^(B)the world,^{[a] (C)}that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not ^(D)perish but have eternal life.