Matthew 7
1 Don't judge others, so that you won't be judged.
"Judge not, that you may be judged, yourselves;
2 For whatever standard you use to judge others will be used to judge you, and whatever measurement you use to measure others will be used to measure you.
"for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and in what measure you measure, others will measure to you.
3 Why do you see the speck that's in your brother's eye? Don't you notice the plank that's in your own eye?
"And why do you look at the mote in your brother’s eye, and fail to notice the beam which is in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take out that speck from your eye’ when you have a plank in your own eye?
"Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Permit me to remove the mote from your eye,’ when, behold, the beam is in your own eye?
5 You're being hypocritical! First get rid of the plank that's in your own eye. Then you'll be able to see clearly to take out the speck from your brother's eye.
"Hypocrite! First cast out the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to cast the mote out of your brother’s eye.
6 Don't give dogs what's holy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs. That way the pigs won't trample them underfoot, and the dogs won't turn and attack you.
"Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine; lest in turn they trample them under their feet, and then turn and attack you.
7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
8 Everyone who asks, receives; everyone who seeks, finds; and everyone who knocks has the door opened for them.
"For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door is opened.
9 Would any of you give your son a stone if he asked for bread?
"What man of you is there who, when his son asks a loaf, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asked for fish, would you give him a snake?
"or if his son asks for a fish, will offer him a snake?
11 So if even you who are evil know to give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.
"If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?
12 Treat others the way you want them to treat you. This sums up the law and the prophets.
"Therefore everything that you would have men do to you, do you also the same to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 Enter by the narrow entrance. For the entrance is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many travel that way.
"Enter by the narrow gate; for broad is the gate and wide the road that leads to destruction, and many are they who go in by it;
14 But the entrance is narrow, and the way is difficult that leads to life, and only a few find it.
"but the gate is narrow and the road is steep, which leads to life, and they are few who find it.
15 Watch out for false prophets who come wearing sheep's clothing, but who on the inside are vicious wolves.
"Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but within they are ravening wolves.
16 You can recognize them by their fruits. Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
"By their fruits you will know them. Are grapes gathered of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 So every good tree produces good fruit, while a bad tree produces bad fruit.
"No, every good tree bears good fruit, but a worthless tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.
"A good tree cannot bear bad fruit; neither can a worthless tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
"Every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
20 So you'll recognize them by their fruits.
"Hence it is by their fruit you will know them.
21 Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven—only those who do the will of my Father in heaven.
"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me at the Day of Judgment, ‘Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name and drive out demons in your name, and perform many miracles in your name?’
"Many in that day will say to me, "‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name done many mighty works?’
23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Leave me, you people who practice wickedness!’
"Then I will tell them plainly, "‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’
24 Everyone that hears the words I say, and follows them, is like a wise man who built his house on solid rock.
"Every one who hears my words and does them I will liken to a wise man who built his house upon the rock.
25 The rain poured down, and the floods rose, and the winds blew hard against the house, but it didn't fall down, because its foundations were on solid rock.
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, but it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock.
26 Everyone that hears the words I say, and doesn't follow them, is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
"And every one who hears these words of mine and does them not, I will liken to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
27 The rain poured down, and the floods rose, and the winds blew hard against the house, and it fell down—it totally collapsed.”
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
28 When Jesus finished explaining these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
Now when Jesus had finished his discourse, the crowds were astounded at his teaching,
29 for he taught like someone with authority, and not like their religious teachers.
for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes taught them.
