Matthew 7:8-18

8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

9 "Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

10 "Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, ¹how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12 "In everything, ²therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for ³this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 "⁴Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 "Beware of the ⁵false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ⁶ravenous wolves.

16 "You will ⁷know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

17 "So ⁸every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 "A good tree cannot * produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 84:11; Isaiah 63:7; Romans 8:32; James 1:17
• 2. Luke 6:31
• 3. Matthew 22:40; Romans 13:8f; Galatians 5:14
• 4. Luke 13:24
• 5. Matthew 24:11, 24; Mark 13:22; Luke 6:26; Acts 13:6; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1; Revelation 16:13; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10
• 6. Ezekiel 22:27; John 10:12; Acts 20:29
• 7. Matthew 7:20; Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:44; James 3:12
• 8. Matthew 12:33, 35

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "whom his son will ask"
• [b]. Lit "he will not give him a stone, will he?"
• [c]. Lit "also will ask"
• [d]. Lit "you, too, do so for them"
• [e]. Lit "people;" Gr "anthropoi"
• [f]. Or "recognize"
• [g]. Lit "They do not gather"