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You will know them by what they do. Thorn bushes do not bear grapes, and briers do not bear figs.
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A healthy tree bears good fruit, but a poor tree bears bad fruit.
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A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a poor tree cannot bear good fruit.
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And any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire.
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So then, you will know the false prophets by what they do.
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"Not everyone who calls me "Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do.
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When the Judgment Day comes, many will say to me, "Lord, Lord! In your name we spoke God's message, by your name we drove out many demons and performed many miracles!'
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Then I will say to them, "I never knew you. Get away from me, you wicked people!'
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"So then, anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.
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The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock.
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"But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
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The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!"
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When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowd was amazed at the way he taught.
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He wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.