New King James Version
Matthew 7:21
21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Matthew 7:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
Context of Matthew 7:21
19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Read all of Matthew 7Matthew 7:21 word by word
Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι· κύριε κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Notοὐou · noG3756
- everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- one that saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- shall enterεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
- of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- he that doethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- the willθέλημαthelēma · will/desireG2307
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- which is inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
Cross-references for Matthew 7:21
- Matthew 25:11“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
- Hosea 8:2Israel will cry to Me, ‘My God, we know You!’
- Luke 6:46“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
- Luke 13:25When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’
- Acts 19:13Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
- Romans 2:13(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
- James 1:22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
- James 2:20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
- Matthew 18:3and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 19:24And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
- Matthew 21:31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
- Isaiah 48:1“Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the Lord, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness;
- Mark 9:47And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire—
- Mark 10:23Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
- Luke 18:25For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
- John 3:5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Commentaries on Matthew 7:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Not every one - , a Hebraism, say some, for no person. It is a Graecism and a Latinism too: , not All of the gods, i.e. not Any of the gods, Hom. Odyss. Z. 240. So Terence Sine omni periclo, without All danger, i.e. without Any danger. And Juvenal: Sine omni labe, without All imperfection, i.e. without Any. See more in Mr. Wakefield. The sense of this verse seems to be this: No person, by merely acknowledging my authority, believing in the Divinity of my…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Not every one that saith - The Saviour goes on to say that many, on the ground of a mere profession such as he had just referred to, would claim admittance into his kingdom. Many would plead that they had done miracles, and preached or prophesied much, and on the ground of that would demand an entrance into heaven. The power of working miracles had no necessary connection with piety. God may as well, if he chooses, give the power of raising the dead to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand. Let every…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21The will of My Father: The teachings of Jesus show what the will of the Father is (see also 12:50; 21:28–32; Romans 2:13; James 1:22–27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord--the reduplication of the title "Lord" denoting zeal in according it to Christ (see Mr 14:45). Yet our Lord claims and expects this of all His disciples, as when He washed their feet: "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am" (Joh 13:13). shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven--that will which it had been the great object of this…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 7:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries