Matthew 7:15-29

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 "Beware of the ¹false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ²ravenous wolves.

16 "You will ³know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

17 "So ⁴every 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 "⁵Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 "So then, you will know them ⁶by their fruits.

21 "⁷Not 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 "⁸Many will say to Me on ⁹that 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; ¹⁰DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

The Two Foundations

24 "Therefore ¹¹everyone 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."

28 ¹²When Jesus had finished these words, ¹³the crowds were amazed at His teaching;

29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Cross References

• 1. 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
• 2. Ezekiel 22:27; John 10:12; Acts 20:29
• 3. Matthew 7:20; Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:44; James 3:12
• 4. Matthew 12:33, 35
• 5. Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9; Luke 13:7; John 15:2, 6
• 6. Matthew 7:16; Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:44; James 3:12
• 7. Luke 6:46
• 8. Matthew 25:11; Luke 13:25f
• 9. Matthew 10:15
• 10. Psalms 6:8; Matthew 25:41; Luke 13:27
• 11. Matthew 7:24-27: {Luke 6:47-49;} Matthew 16:18; James 1:22-25
• 12. Matthew 11:1; Matthew 13:53; Matthew 19:1; Matthew 26:1
• 13. Matthew 13:54; Matthew 22:33; Mark 1:22; Mark 6:2; Mark 11:18; Luke 4:32; John 7:46

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "recognize"
• [b]. Lit "They do not gather"
• [c]. Or "recognize"
• [d]. Or "works of power"
• [e]. Lit "does"
• [f]. Lit "will"
• [g]. Lit "rivers"
• [h]. Lit "do"
• [i]. Lit "rivers"
• [j]. Lit "And it happened when"