Why did Jesus tell the thief on the cross that he would be in Paradise on that very day? The thief didn't have to work for his salvation but Jehovah's Witnesses think that they do.
That's a thoughtful and theologically rich question. Let's break it down.

First, the Gospel account: In **Luke 23:43**, Jesus says to the thief crucified beside him: *"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."*

From a traditional Christian perspective, this highlights several key points:

1. **Salvation by grace through faith, not works** — The thief could not perform any religious works, baptism, or good deeds. He simply recognized Jesus' innocence and kingship (*"Remember me when you come into your kingdom"*). Jesus' response shows that salvation is a gift received through faith, not earned.

2. **Immediate presence with God after death** — The word "today" indicates that upon death, the thief would be with Jesus in paradise (commonly understood as the blessed state of the righteous dead, or heaven itself).

Now, why does this contrast with Jehovah's Witnesses' teachings?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe:

- The wicked are annihilated; the righteous hope for a resurrection to life on a **restored earth**, not an immediate heavenly existence (except for the 144,000 who go to heaven).
- **Paradise** for most faithful humans will be on earth after Armageddon and the resurrection.
- Jesus' use of "today" is often interpreted by Witnesses as a translation issue — some of their literature suggests the comma should be placed differently: *"Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise"* (i.e., "today" emphasizes the solemn declaration, not the timing of entering paradise).
- Salvation requires **ongoing faithfulness**, including works, meeting attendance, and adherence to Watchtower teachings — the thief, in their view, will be resurrected to earthly paradise in the future, not that very day.

Thus, the thief wasn't "working" because he couldn't — but Jehovah's Witnesses would say his example does not cancel the need for obedience from those who have come to full knowledge of God's requirements.

So to directly answer your implied point: Yes, the thief was saved without works, which strongly supports the Protestant (and historic Christian) view of justification by faith alone. Jehovah's Witnesses reinterpret the passage to fit their theology of future earthly resurrection and conditional salvation through works. Many mainstream Christians see this as a contradiction of Jesus' plain words.