"Later the others arrived. 'Sir, sir! Let us in!' they cried out.

'Certainly not! I don't know you,' the bridegroom answered."

Even though they call me their God and claim that they are my people and that they know me,

they have rejected what is good. Because of this their enemies will pursue them.

"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and yet don't do what I tell you?

The master of the house will get up and close the door; then when you stand outside and begin to knock on the door and say, 'Open the door for us, sir!' he will answer you, 'I don't know where you come from!'

Some Jews who traveled around and drove out evil spirits also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus to do this. They said to the evil spirits, "I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches."

But the evil spirit said to them, "I know Jesus, and I know about Paul; but you---who are you?"

All the Jews and Gentiles who lived in Ephesus heard about this; they were all filled with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was given greater honor.

Many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in public. They added up the price of the books, and the total came to fifty thousand silver coins.

For it is not by hearing the Law that people are put right with God, but by doing what the Law commands.

They claim that they know God, but their actions deny it. They are hateful and disobedient, not fit to do anything good.

Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice.

You fool! Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless?

Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions.

You see, then, that it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not by our faith alone.

So then, as the body without the spirit is dead, also faith without actions is dead.

and said, "I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.

I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."

Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you.

"Later the others arrived. 'Sir, sir! Let us in!' they cried out.

'Certainly not! I don't know you,' the bridegroom answered."

'Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. 'You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'

Listen to this, people of Israel, you that are descended from Judah: You swear by the name of the LORD and claim to worship the God of Israel--- but you don't mean a word you say.

And yet you are proud to say that you are citizens of the holy city and that you depend on Israel's God, whose name is the LORD Almighty.

And if your eye makes you lose your faith, take it out! It is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to keep both eyes and be thrown into hell.

Jesus looked around at his disciples and said to them, "How hard it will be for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God!"

The disciples were shocked at these words, but Jesus went on to say, "My children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God!

It is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."

"I am telling you the truth," replied Jesus, "that no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.

They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. "We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God," they taught.

Those who first heard the Good News did not receive that rest, because they did not believe. There are, then, others who are allowed to receive it.

Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother, my sister, and my mother."

'I don't want to,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you.

Whoever does what God wants is my brother, my sister, my mother."

But Jesus answered, "Rather, how happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!"

For what my Father wants is that all who see the Son and believe in him should have eternal life. And I will raise them to life on the last day."

Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority.

Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God---what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.

Do this not only when they are watching you, because you want to gain their approval; but with all your heart do what God wants, as slaves of Christ.

Greetings from Epaphras, another member of your group and a servant of Christ Jesus. He always prays fervently for you, asking God to make you stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, in complete obedience to God's will.

God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality.

be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.

(SEE 13:20)

For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do.

From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires.

And so, my dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have courage in God's presence.

What he commands is that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as Christ commanded us.

Happy are those who wash their robes clean and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life and to go through the gates into the city.

"Those who declare publicly that they belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven.

But those who reject me publicly, I will reject before my Father in heaven.

"Good for you, Simon son of John!" answered Jesus. "For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven.

"See that you don't despise any of these little ones. Their angels in heaven, I tell you, are always in the presence of my Father in heaven.

"And I tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

And Jesus concluded, "That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

He went a little farther on, threw himself face downward on the ground, and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering from me! Yet not what I want, but what you want."

Once more Jesus went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cup of suffering cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done."

Jesus answered them, "My Father is always working, and I too must work."

What my Father has given me is greater than everything, and no one can snatch them away from the Father's care.

The Father and I are one."

Now that you have known me," he said to them, "you will know my Father also, and from now on you do know him and you have seen him."

Whoever hates me hates my Father also.

(SEE 2:26)

Those who win the victory will be clothed like this in white, and I will not remove their names from the book of the living. In the presence of my Father and of his angels I will declare openly that they belong to me.