What did Jesus say about Good Works?

²⁵ “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’

²⁶ But not so with you. Rather, the one who is greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves.

²⁷ For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

²⁸ “But you are those who have continued with me in my trials.

²⁹ I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me,

³⁰ that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

¹⁵ “If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.

¹⁶ But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

¹⁸ Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.

¹⁹ Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

²⁰ For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’

²² But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.

²³ “If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,

²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.

²⁶ Most certainly I tell you, you shall by no means get out of there until you have paid the last penny.

¹ “And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things: “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

² Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God.

³ Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you.

⁴ Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

⁵ He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

⁶ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

¹⁶ By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?

¹⁷ Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

⁹ “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

¹⁰ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.

¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

¹² Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.

¹³ Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴ If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.

¹⁶ “A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people.

¹⁷ He sent out his servant at supper time to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, for everything is ready now.’

¹⁸ They all as one began to make excuses. “The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.’

¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.’

²⁰ “Another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I can’t come.’

²¹ “That servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, maimed, blind, and lame.’

²² “The servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as you commanded, and there is still room.’

²³ “The lord said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

²⁴ For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper. For many are called, but few are chosen.’”

² “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.

³ All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do.

⁴ For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.

⁵ But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments,

⁶ and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

⁷ the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.

⁸ But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

⁹ Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

¹⁰ Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.

¹¹ But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.

² Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

³ You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.

⁵ I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

⁶ If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.

⁸ “In this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples.

³⁹ “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.

⁴⁰ But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this.

⁴¹ You do the works of your father.”

⁴² “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.

⁴³ Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.

⁴⁴ You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

⁴⁵ But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me.

⁴⁶ Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

⁴⁷ He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”

⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?

⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.

⁴⁷ Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.

⁴⁸ But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’

⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,

⁵⁰ the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,

⁵¹ and will cut him in pieces and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.