Matthew 7:21 (GNV)

Passage

Not euery one that sayeth vnto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he that doeth my Fathers will which is in heauen.

Nearby Context

Matthew 7:19 Euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite, is hewen downe, and cast into the fire.

Matthew 7:20 Therefore by their fruites ye shall knowe them.

Matthew 7:21 Not euery one that sayeth vnto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he that doeth my Fathers will which is in heauen.

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, haue we not by thy Name prophecied? and by thy name cast out deuils? and by thy name done many great workes?

Matthew 7:23 And then will I professe to them, I neuer knewe you: depart from me, ye that worke iniquitie.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "euery", "sayeth", "vnto", "lord", "shall", "enter", and "kingdome". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "euery" and "sayeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "Therefore by their fruites ye shall knowe..." into verse 22's "Many will say to me in that...", so "euery" and "sayeth" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "euery" and "sayeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.