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) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(D) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(E) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(F)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(G)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(H) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

2 My dear children,^(A) I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate^(B) with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,^(C) and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.^(D)

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

³ We know^(E) that we have come to know him^(F) if we keep his commands.^{(G) 4} Whoever says, “I know him,”^(H) but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.^{(I) 5} But if anyone obeys his word,^(J) love for God^[a] is truly made complete in them.^(K) This is how we know^(L) we are in him: ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.^(M)

⁷ Dear friends,^(N) I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning.^(O) This old command is the message you have heard.

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(A) 25} For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.^{(B) 26} What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man^(C) is going to come^(D) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.^(E)

¹¹ For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”^[a](A) also said, “You shall not murder.”^[b](B) If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

¹² Speak and act as those who are going to be judged^(C) by the law that gives freedom,^{(D) 13} because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.^(E) Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith and Deeds

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?^(F) Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.^{(G) 16} If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?^{(H) 17} In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.^(I)

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds,^(J) and I will show you my faith^(K) by my deeds.^{(L) 19} You believe that there is one God.^(M) Good! Even the demons believe that^(N)—and shudder.

²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^[c]?^{(O) 21} Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?^{(P) 22} You see that his faith and his actions were working together,^(Q) and his faith was made complete by what he did.^{(R) 23} And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^[d](S) and he was called God’s friend.^{(T) 24} You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?^{(U) 26} As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^(V)

⁷ You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: