Matthew 7:6-16

6 ¹“Do not give ²dogs what is holy, and do not throw your ³pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Ask, and It Will Be Given

7 ⁴“Ask, ⁵and it will be given to you; ⁶seek, and you will find; ⁷knock, and it will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for ⁸bread, will give him ⁹a stone?

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

11 If you then, ¹⁰who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will ¹¹your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

12 “So ¹²whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is ¹³the Law and the Prophets.

13 ¹⁴“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

14 For the gate is narrow and ¹⁵the way is hard that leads to life, and ¹⁶those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 ¹⁷“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ¹⁸ravenous wolves.

16 You will recognize them ¹⁹by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Cross References

• 1. 7:6 ch. 15:26; [Prov. 9:7, 8; 23:9]
• 2. 7:6 [Phil. 3:2; Rev. 22:15]
• 3. 7:6 ch. 13:46
• 4. 7:7 For ver. 7-11, see Luke 11:9-13
• 5. 7:7 ch. 18:19; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 14:13; 15:7, 16; 16:23, 24; James 1:5, 6, 17; 1 John 3:22; 5:14, 15
• 6. 7:7 1 Chr. 28:9; 2 Chr. 15:2; Prov. 8:17; Jer. 29:13; [Isa. 55:6]
• 7. 7:7 [Rev. 3:20]
• 8. 7:9 ch. 4:3
• 9. 7:9 ch. 4:3
• 10. 7:11 ch. 12:34; Gen. 6:5; 8:21
• 11. 7:11 [See ver. 7 above]
• 12. 7:12 Luke 6:31
• 13. 7:12 See ch. 22:40
• 14. 7:13 Luke 13:24
• 15. 7:14 Ps. 16:11; [ch. 18:8; John 14:6]
• 16. 7:14 [Luke 13:23]
• 17. 7:15 ch. 24:11, 24; Deut. 13:1-3; Jer. 14:14; 23:16; Mark 13:22; Luke 6:26; Acts 13:6; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 4:1
• 18. 7:15 Ezek. 22:27; Acts 20:29; [Mic. 3:5; John 10:12]
• 19. 7:16 Luke 6:43, 44; James 2:18

Footnotes

• [a] 7:13 Some manuscripts 'For the way is wide and easy'