Matthew 20:16

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

This is what Yahweh who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: “Don’t be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon.

He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

“I am inquired of by those who didn’t ask. I am found by those who didn’t seek me. I said, ‘See me, see me,’ to a nation that was not called by my name.

“I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.

There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.

If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”

But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ ”

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”

Some of you were such, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.

We love him, because he first loved us.

Leave your simple ways, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.”

A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there.

“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.

When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.

But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.

I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,

These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful.”

for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.

who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day.

Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.

Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”

The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one;

Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

I was alive apart from the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith,

But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard.

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.

but the Lord’s word endures forever.” This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow,

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his case in the ears of the elders of that city. They shall take him into the city with them, and give him a place, that he may live among them.

You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

For your name’s sake, Yahweh, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

“Come now, and let’s reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

When he was in Benjamin’s gate, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are defecting to the Chaldeans!”

Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!

When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

But many who are first will be last; and the last first.”

For I tell you that none of those men who were invited will taste of my supper.’ ”

The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for God’s Kingdom:

At this, his disciples came. They marveled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no one said, “What are you looking for?” or, “Why do you speak with her?”

For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”

Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

For Yahweh knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.

If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says Yahweh of Armies, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.

“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

Behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and there are some who are first who will be last.”

Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.

Isaiah is very bold and says, “I was found by those who didn’t seek me. I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.”

always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy,

For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe.

Let’s therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.

even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.

Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained.

and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel my called: I am he. I am the first. I am also the last.

Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king was then sitting in Benjamin’s gate),

How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

For many are called, but few chosen.”

Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body.

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”

One said to him, “Lord, are they few who are saved?” He said to them,

Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”

They went out of the city, and were coming to him.

But certain men joined with him and believed, among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.

Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”

Don’t be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.

I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;