Matthew 7
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Don't judge others, so that you won't be judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye will be judged; and with what measure ye mete, 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 dost thou look at the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and not perceive the beam in thine 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 wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me take the mote out of thine eye; when, lo! the beam is in thine 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 the beam out of thine own eye; and then wilt thou see clearly to take the mote out of thy 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 Give not that which is holy to dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn upon you and rend you.
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 you; seek, and ye will find; knock, and the door 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 every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, the door 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 there of you, who, if his son ask 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 ask for a fish, will give him a serpent?
Or if he asked for fish, would you give him a snake?
11 If ye then, though evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that 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 All things, then, whatever ye would that men should do to you, do ye also so 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 at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction; and many are they who go in thereat.
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 For strait is the gate, and narrow the way, that leadeth to life; and few are they 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 the 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 Ye may know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
You can recognize them by their fruits. Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So every good tree beareth good fruit; but a bad tree beareth bad fruit.
So every good tree produces good fruit, while a bad tree produces bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor call a bad tree bear good fruit.
A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.
19 Every tree that beareth not good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
20 So then ye may know them by their fruits.
So you'll recognize them by their fruits.
21 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth 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 say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in thy name, and in thy name cast out demons, and in thy name work many miracles?
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 will I declare to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Leave me, you people who practice wickedness!’
24 Every one then that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened to a wise man, who built his house upon 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 descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a 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 every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon 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 beat upon 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 came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the multitudes were astonished at his teaching.
When Jesus finished explaining these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
29 For he taught them as having authority, and not as their scribes.
for he taught like someone with authority, and not like their religious teachers.
