Exegesis of “Kingdom Now” Passages

John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Gk. eggizo, “at hand” KJV/NKJV/NASB/ESV, “near” NRSV/NIV/NLT).” (^ESV Matthew 3:1-2)

A. Passage Context

…the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins… ⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” … ¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come… ¹⁷ His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaffwith unquenchable fire.” (^NIV Luke 3:1-17)

B. Old Testament Background (cf. Deut. 32:35; Is. 13:6; Jer. 48:16; Ez. 7:7; 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1; 3:14; Oba. 1:15; Mic. 7:4; Zeph. 1:7, 14)

Wail, for the day of the LORD is near (“at hand” KJV/NKJV); as destruction from the Almighty it will come! … ⁹ Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. (^ESV Isaiah 13:6-9)

Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand (“near” NASB/ESV/NIV/NRSV); it shall come as destruction from the Almighty. (^NKJV Joel 1:14-15)

The great day of the LORD is near— near and coming quickly… ¹⁵ That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness… ¹⁸ In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth. (^NIV Zephaniah 1:14-18)

C. New Testament Usage

Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ ¹⁰ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ ¹² I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day (“the day of judgment” Mt. 10:15) for Sodom than for that town. (^NIV Luke 10:9-12)

At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near… ²⁹ Look at the fig tree and all the trees. ³⁰ When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. ³¹ Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. (^NIV Luke 21:27-31)

• Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. ¹² The night is almost gone, and the day is near (“at hand” KJV/NKJV/ESV). (^NASB Romans 13:11-12)
• Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand (“near” NASB/NIV/NRSV). (^ESV Philippians 4:4-5)
• Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near (“at hand” ESV/NKJV). (^NIV James 5:7-8)
• But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead… ⁷ The end of all things is near (“at hand” KJV/NKJV/ESV). Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. (^NIV 1 Peter 4:5-8)

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires… ⁷ By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. ⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (^NIV 2 Peter 3:3-10)

But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (^NIV Matthew 12:28)

A. Passage Context

Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. ²³ All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” ²⁵ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them… ²⁷ “if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you… ³² Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven (cf. v.23), but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (cf. v.24), either in this age or in the age to come… ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks… ³⁶ But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (^NIV Matthew 12:22-37)

B. Old Testament Background (Deut. 28:15, 45; 30:1; 31:17, 21; Jos. 22:20; Jdg. 20:41; 1 Sam. 16:16; 2 Sam. 19:7; 24:13; 2 Chr. 20:9; 32:26; Neh. 9:32; Job 2:11; 3:25; 5:14; 20:22; 21:17; 27:9; Ps. 69:24; 119:143; Prov. 1:26; 3:25; 6:15; 10:14; Eccl. 11:2; Isa. 26:9; 47:9, 11; 51:19; Jer. 6:26; 22:23; 44:23; 51:60; Lam. 1:14; Ezek. 7:2, 7; 30:4; Dan. 9:13; Hos. 13:7; Amos 9:10; Jon. 1:12; Mic. 2:6; 3:11; Zeph. 1:6; 2:2; 3:7)

However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you… (^NIV Deuteronomy 28:15)

Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to its dregs the goblet that makes men stagger… ¹⁹ These double calamities have come upon you— who can comfort you?–ruin and destruction, famine and sword– who can console you? (^NIV Isaiah 51:17-19)

Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed him or followed his law or his decrees or his stipulations, this disaster has come upon you, as you now see. (^NIV Jeremiah 44:23)

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Disaster! An unheard-of disaster is coming. ⁶ The end has come! The end has come! It has roused itself against you. It has come! ⁷ Doom has come upon you— you who dwell in the land. The time has come, the day is near; there is panic, not joy, upon the mountains. ⁸ I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you; I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. (^NIV Ezekiel 7:5-8)

Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. ¹⁴ The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him. (^NIV Daniel 9:13-14)

Gather together, gather together, O shameful nation, ² before the appointed time arrives and that day sweeps on like chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s wrath comes upon you. ³ Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger. (^NIV Zephaniah 2:1-3)

C. New Testament Usage

They displease God and are hostile to all men ¹⁶ in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last. (^NIV 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (^NKJV Ephesians 5:5-6)

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. ² Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. (^ESV James 5:1-3)

You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? … ³⁵ And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. (^NIV Matthew 23:33-36)

Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. (^NIV Revelation 3:10)

• Since, then, you have been raised with Christ (cf. Rom. 4:17), set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (^NIV Colossians 3:1-4)
• But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions– it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (^NIV Ephesians 2:4-7)

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, ²¹ nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you (Gk. entos humon eimi, “is within you” KJV/NKJV/NIV, “is among you” NRSV/NLT, “is in your midst” NASB, “is in the midst of you” ESV).” (^NIV Luke 17:20-21)

The kingdom of God does not come with your observation, ²¹ nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God comes into your midst.” (^Author Luke 17:20-21)

A. Passage Context

Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. ²³ Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. ²⁴ For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. ²⁵ But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. ²⁶ Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man… ³⁷ Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather. (^NIV Luke 17:22-37)

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many… ²⁵ See, I have told you ahead of time. ²⁶ So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ²⁸ Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” (^NIV Matthew 24:3-28)

• Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. ³⁷ After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. (^NIV Acts 5:36-37)
• “Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?” ³⁹ Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus…” (^NIV Acts 21:38-39)

But we know where this man is from (Gk. eimi, “comes from” ESV/NLT); when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from (Gk. eimi, “comes from” ESV/NLT).” ²⁸ Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from (Gk. eimi, “come from” ESV/NLT). I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, ²⁹ but I know him because I am from (Gk. eimi, “come from” ESV/NLT) him and he sent me.” (^NIV John 7:27-29)

B. Old Testament Background

As a lion growls, a great lion over his prey… so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights. ⁵ Like birds hovering overhead, the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will ‘pass over’ it and will rescue it… ⁸ Assyria will fall by a sword that is not of man; a sword, not of mortals, will devour them… ⁹ Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic,” declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem. ^32:1 See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. (^NIV Isaiah 31:4-32:1)

See, the LORD is coming with fire, and his chariots are like a whirlwind; he will bring down his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ¹⁶ For with fire and with his sword the LORD will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the LORD. (^NIV Isaiah 66:15-16)

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing (Gk. biazo vPPI 3S; “has been forcefully advancing” NIV/NLT, “has suffered violence” ESV/NRSV, “suffers violence” KJV/NKJV/NASB), and forceful men (Gk. biastes nNMP; “the violent” KJV/NKJV/ESV/NRSV, “violent [men]” NASB/NLT) lay hold of it (Gk. harpazo vPAI 3P; “take it by force” KJV/NKJV/NASB/ESV/NRSV, “attack it” NLT). (^NIV Matthew 11:12)

From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men are attacking it. (^Author Matthew 11:12)

A. Passage Context

When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples… ⁷ As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John… ¹¹ “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he… ¹⁶ To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: ¹⁷ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ ¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.” ²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent… ²² “But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.” (^NIV Matthew 11:19-22)

B. Old Testament Background

I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness. ¹⁸ Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. ¹⁹ The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory… ²¹ Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. ²² The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it. (^NIV Isaiah 60:17-22)

Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men ² who devise evil things in their hearts; they continually stir up wars. ³ They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; poison of a viper is under their lips… ¹⁰ May burning coals fall upon them; may they be cast into the fire, into deep pits from which they cannot rise… ¹² I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted and justice for the poor. ¹³ Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence. (^NASB Psalm 140:1-13)

C. New Testament Usage

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. (^NIV 1 Timothy 1:12-13)

You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? ³⁴ Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. ³⁵ And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth… (^NIV Matthew 23:33-35)

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (^ESV Rom. 14:17)

A. Passage Context

Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. ¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ^14:1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters… ⁴ Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls… ¹⁰ You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. ¹¹ It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'” (cf. Is. 45:23) ¹² So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God… ¹⁵ Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, ¹⁸ because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men… ²² So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. ²³ But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. (^NIV Romans 13:10-14:23)

B. Old Testament Background

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains… ³ Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. ⁴ He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. ⁵ Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. (^NIV Isaiah 2:2-5)

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, ² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, ³ and provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor… ⁷ and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. ⁸ For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. (^NIV Isaiah 61:1-8)

C. New Testament Usage

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person– such a man is an idolater– has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God… ⁷ Therefore do not be partners with them. ⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. (^NIV Ephesians 5:5-10)

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵ You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness… ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. (^NIV 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8)

The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches. (^NIV Matthew 13:31-32)

A. Passage Context

And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. ¹² For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; ¹⁵ for the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.'” (^NASB Matthew 13:10-15)

B. Old Testament Background

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphs… ³ And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” ⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. ⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried… ⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ⁹ He said, “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ ¹⁰ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (^NIV Isaiah 6:1-10)

C. New Testament Usage

Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. (^NIV Ephesians 3:8-9)

• The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field… ⁴⁷ Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. (^NIV Matthew 13:24-47)
• Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. (^NIV Matthew 18:23)
• For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. (^NIV Matthew 20:1)
• There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. (^NIV Matthew 21:33)
• The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. (^NIV Matthew 22:2)
• At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (^NIV Matthew 25:1)

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, ¹⁰ your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us today our daily bread. ¹² Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ¹⁴ For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (^NIV Matthew 6:9-15)

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven… ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. (^NIV Matthew 16:19-27)

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. ^{14 15} Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell (Gk. gehenna) as you are. (^NIV Matthew 23:13-15)

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (^ESV John 18:36)

But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ²¹ What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit? (^NIV 1 Corinthians 4:19-21)

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³ He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (^ESV Colossians 1:11-14)