Matthew 7:17-27

17 "So ¹every 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.

19 "²Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 "So then, you will know them ³by their fruits.

21 "⁴Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

22 "⁵Many will say to Me on ⁶that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; ⁷DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

The Two Foundations

24 "Therefore ⁸everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell -and great was its fall."

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 12:33, 35
• 2. Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9; Luke 13:7; John 15:2, 6
• 3. Matthew 7:16; Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:44; James 3:12
• 4. Luke 6:46
• 5. Matthew 25:11; Luke 13:25f
• 6. Matthew 10:15
• 7. Psalms 6:8; Matthew 25:41; Luke 13:27
• 8. Matthew 7:24-27: {Luke 6:47-49;} Matthew 16:18; James 1:22-25

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "recognize"
• [b]. Or "works of power"
• [c]. Lit "does"
• [d]. Lit "will"
• [e]. Lit "rivers"
• [f]. Lit "do"
• [g]. Lit "rivers"