Matthew 7

Judging

1 “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.2 You’ll receive the same judgment you give. Whatever you deal out will be dealt out to you.3 Why do you see the splinter that’s in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye?4 How can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when there’s a log in your eye?5 You deceive yourself! First take the log out of your eye, and then you’ll see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s or sister’s eye.

6 Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls in front of pigs. They will stomp on the pearls, then turn around and attack you.

Asking, seeking, knocking

7 “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door is opened.9 Who among you will give your children a stone when they ask for bread?10 Or give them a snake when they ask for fish?11 If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.

12 Therefore, you should treat people in the same way that you want people to treat you; this is the Law and the Prophets.

Narrow gate

13 “Go in through the narrow gate. The gate that leads to destruction is broad and the road wide, so many people enter through it.

14 But the gate that leads to life is narrow and the road difficult, so few people find it.

Tree and fruit

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are vicious wolves.16 You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles?17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit.18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit.19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.

20 Therefore, you will know them by their fruit.

Entrance requirements

21 “Not everybody who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter.22 On the Judgment Day, many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name and expel demons in your name and do lots of miracles in your name?’

23 Then I’ll tell them, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you people who do wrong.’

Two foundations

24 "Everybody who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise builder who built a house on bedrock.25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It didn’t fall because it was firmly set on bedrock.26 But everybody who hears these words of mine and doesn’t put them into practice will be like a fool who built a house on sand.

27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It fell and was completely destroyed."

Crowd’s response

28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching

29 because he was teaching them like someone with authority and not like their legal experts.

Matthew 7

Do Not Judge

1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.s2 For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive.t3 Whyt do you see the specks in your brother’s eye, but fail to seet the beam of woods in your own?4 Or how can you sayt to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own?5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.t

Ask, Seek, Knock

7 “Asks and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the doort will be opened for you.8 For everyone who askss receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.9 Ist there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?s11 If you then, although you are evil,t know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good giftss to those who ask him!

12 Int everything, treat others as you would want themt to treat you,s for this fulfillst the law and the prophets.

The Narrow Gate

13 “Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

14 But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.s16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gatheredt from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?s17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the badt tree bears bad fruit.18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.

Judgment of Pretenders

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’s will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and dot many powerful deeds?’

23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’t

Hearing and Doing

24 “Everyonet who hears these words of mine and does them is liket a wise mant who built his house on rock.25 The rain fell, the floodt came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock.26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

27 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed; it was utterly destroyed!”t
28 Whent Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching,

29 because he taught them like one who had authority,s not like their experts in the law.t