Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Study Note
Study Note
The warning 'not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven' challenges any identification of outward religious performance — including prophesying, casting out demons, and doing 'wonderful works' — with authentic relationship to Christ. The double vocative 'Lord, Lord' (Kyrie, Kyrie) echoes the Psalms' urgent address to YHWH in crisis and may parody the liturgical acclamations of early Christian worship, suggesting the passage addresses insider religious communities rather than secular outsiders. The criterion 'he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven' connects to Matthew's characteristic emphasis on righteousness-as-praxis (5:20; 25:31–46) and situates the Sermon's entire ethical discourse within a relationship of filial obedience rather than mere performance. The verse stands as one of the most penetrating challenges to nominalist religion in the entire New Testament.
Other Translations
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
`Not every one who is saying to me Lord, lord, shall come into the reign of the heavens; but he who is doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens.
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will go into the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the pleasure of my Father in heaven.
Cross References
Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out …
For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts …
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, …
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar–jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it …
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter …
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their …