Matthew 7
Judging Others
1“Do not judge, or you will be judged.2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.3Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye?5You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Seek, Knock
7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.9Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?11So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!12In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow Gate
13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.16By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’
The House on the Rock
24Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.26But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.27The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!”
The Authority of Jesus
28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,29because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.