A Tree and Its Fruit

^15 (A)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ^(B)ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them ^(C)by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, ^(D)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 (E)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them ^(F)by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

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

Build Your House on the Rock

^24 (S)“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like ^(T)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 ^(U)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.”

The Authority of Jesus

²⁸ And when Jesus finished these sayings, ^(V)the crowds were astonished at his teaching, ^29 (W)for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne ^(A)a scroll written within and on the back, ^(B)sealed with seven seals. ² And ^(C)I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, ^(D)the Lion ^(E)of the tribe of Judah, ^(F)the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw ^(G)a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with ^(H)seven eyes, which are ^(I)the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders ^(J)fell down before the Lamb, ^(K)each holding a harp, and ^(L)golden bowls full of incense, ^(M)which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang ^(N)a new song, saying,

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering ^(S)myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

¹³ And I heard ^(U)every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

¹⁴ And the four living creatures ^(V)said, “Amen!” and the elders ^(W)fell down and worshiped.