Matthew 7
1 "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged.
Don't judge others, so that you won't be judged.
2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever 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 see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log 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 tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and look, the log 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 You hypocrite. First remove the log out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove 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 "Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, or they will trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.
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 for 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 asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.
Everyone who asks, receives; everyone who seeks, finds; and everyone who knocks has the door opened for them.
9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son will ask him for bread, will give him a stone?
Would any of you give your son a stone if he asked for bread?
10 Or if he will ask for a fish, who will give him a serpent?
Or if he asked for fish, would you give him a snake?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask 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 Therefore whatever you desire for people to do to you, so also you should 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 "Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by 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 difficult is the way that leads to life. Few are those who find it.
But the entrance is narrow, and the way is difficult that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
Watch out for false prophets who come wearing sheep's clothing, but who on the inside are vicious wolves.
16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you 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 Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.
So every good tree produces good fruit, while a bad tree produces bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.
Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.
So you'll recognize them by their fruits.
21 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.
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 tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did not we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?'
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 tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'
Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Leave me, you people who practice wickedness!’
24 "Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, will be compared to a wise man, who built his house on a 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 came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was 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 hears these words of mine, and does not do them will be like 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 came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall."
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 happened, when Jesus had finished saying these things, that the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
When Jesus finished explaining these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
29 for he taught them with authority, and not like their scribes.
for he taught like someone with authority, and not like their religious teachers.
