Matthew 7
1 “Do not judge, that you may not be judged,
Don't judge others, so that you won't be judged.
2 for in what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and in what measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
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.
3 And why do you behold the speck that [is] in your brother’s eye, and do not consider the beam that [is] in your own eye?
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?
4 Or, how will you say to your brother, Permit [that] I may cast out the speck from your eye, and behold, the beam [is] in your own eye?
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?
5 Hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to cast out the speck out of your brother’s eye.
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.
6 You may not give that which is [holy] to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before the pigs, that they may not trample them among their feet, and having turned—may tear you apart.
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.
7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you;
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
8 for everyone who is asking receives, and he who is seeking finds, and to him who is knocking it will be opened.
Everyone who asks, receives; everyone who seeks, finds; and everyone who knocks has the door opened for them.
9 Or what man is of you, of whom, if his son may ask [for] a loaf—a stone will he present to him?
Would any of you give your son a stone if he asked for bread?
10 And if he may ask [for] a fish—a serpent will he present to him?
Or if he asked for fish, would you give him a snake?
11 If, therefore, you being evil, have known to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who [is] in the heavens give good things to those asking Him?
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.
12 All things, therefore, whatever you may will that men may be doing to you, so also do to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Treat others the way you want them to treat you. This sums up the law and the prophets.
13 Go in through the narrow gate, because wide [is] the gate and broad the way that is leading to the destruction, and many are those going in through it;
Enter by the narrow entrance. For the entrance is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many travel that way.
14 how narrow [is] the gate and compressed the way that is leading to life, and few are those finding it!
But the entrance is narrow, and the way is difficult that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 But take heed of the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, and inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Watch out for false prophets who come wearing sheep's clothing, but who on the inside are vicious wolves.
16 From their fruits you will know them; do [men] gather grapes from thorns? Or figs from thistles?
You can recognize them by their fruits. Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So every good tree yields good fruits, but the bad tree yields evil fruits.
So every good tree produces good fruit, while a bad tree produces bad fruit.
18 A good tree is not able to yield evil fruits, nor a bad tree to yield good fruits.
A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.
19 Every tree not yielding good fruit is cut down and is cast into fire:
Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
20 therefore from their fruits you will know them.
So you'll recognize them by their fruits.
21 Not everyone who is saying to Me, Lord, Lord, will come into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who is doing the will of My Father who is in the heavens.
Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven—only those who do the will of my Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name? And in Your Name cast out demons? And in Your Name done many mighty things?
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?’
23 And then I will acknowledge to them, that—I never knew you, depart from Me you who are working lawlessness.
Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Leave me, you people who practice wickedness!’
24 Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock;
Everyone that hears the words I say, and follows them, is like a wise man who built his house on solid rock.
25 and the rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and they beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
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.
26 And everyone who is hearing these words of Mine, and is not doing them, will be likened to a foolish man who built his house on the sand;
Everyone that hears the words I say, and doesn't follow them, is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 and the rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and they beat on that house, and it fell, and its fall was great.”
The rain poured down, and the floods rose, and the winds blew hard against the house, and it fell down—it totally collapsed.”
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these words, the multitudes were astonished at His teaching,
When Jesus finished explaining these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
29 for He was teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes.
for he taught like someone with authority, and not like their religious teachers.
