Matthew 7
1 Don't judge others, so that you won't be judged.
“Do not judge and you will not be judged.
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, just as you judge others, you will yourselves be judged, and the standard that you use will be used for 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?
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your friend’s eye, while you pay no attention at all to the plank of wood in yours?
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?
How will you say to your friend ‘Let me take out the speck from your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own?
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! Take out the plank from your own eye first, and then you will see clearly how to take out the speck from your friend’s.
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 sacred to dogs; they will turn and maul you. Do not throw your pearls before pigs; they will trample them underfoot.
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 to you; search, 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 the person who asks receives, the person who searches finds, and the door will be opened to the person who knocks.
9 Would any of you give your son a stone if he asked for bread?
Who among you, when their child asks them for bread, will give them a stone,
10 Or if he asked for fish, would you give him a snake?
or when they ask for a fish, will give them 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, wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask him!
12 Treat others the way you want them to treat you. This sums up the law and the prophets.
“Do to others whatever you would wish them to do to you; for that is the teaching of both 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.
Go in by the small gate. The road that leads to destruction is broad and spacious, and many 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.
For the gate is small, and the road narrow, that leads to life, and there 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 false teachers – people who come to you in the guise of sheep, but at heart they are ravenous wolves.
16 You can recognize them by their fruits. Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
By the fruit of their lives you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So every good tree produces good fruit, while a bad tree produces bad fruit.
So, too, every sound tree bears good fruit, while 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 sound tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor 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 that fails to bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 So you'll recognize them by their fruits.
So it is by the fruit of their lives that you will know such people.
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 ‘Master! Master!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only 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?’
On that day many will say to me ‘Master, Master, was not it in your name that we taught, and in your name that we drove out demons, and in your name that we did many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Leave me, you people who practice wickedness!’
And then I will say to them plainly ‘I never knew you. Go from my presence, you who live in sin.’
24 Everyone that hears the words I say, and follows them, is like a wise man who built his house on solid rock.
“Everyone, therefore, who listens to this teaching of mine and acts on it may be compared to a prudent person, who built their house on 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.
The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, for its foundations were on 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.
Everyone who listens to this teaching of mine and does not act on it may be compared to a foolish person, who built their house on 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.”
The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and struck against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus finished explaining these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
By the time that Jesus had finished speaking, the crowd was filled with amazement at his teaching.
29 for he taught like someone with authority, and not like their religious teachers.
For he taught them like one who had authority, and not like their teachers of the Law.
