< Matthew 7 >
1 "Judge not, that you may not be judged;
2 for your own judgement will be dealt--and your own measure meted--to yourselves.
3 And why do you look at the splinter in your brother's eye, and not notice the beam which is in your own eye?
4 Or how say to your brother, 'Allow me to take the splinter out of your eye,' while the beam is in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the splinter from your brother's eye.
6 "Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls to the swine; otherwise they will 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 to you.
8 For it is always he who asks that receives, he who seeks that finds, and he who knocks that has the door opened to him.
9 What man is there among you, who if his son shall ask him for bread will offer him a stone?
10 Or if the son shall ask him for a fish will offer him a snake?
11 If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
12 Everything, therefore, be it what it may, that you would have men do to you, do you also the same to them; for in this the Law and the Prophets are summed up.
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad the road which leads to ruin, and many there are who enter by it;
14 because narrow is the gate and contracted the road which leads to Life, and few are those who find it.
15 "Beware of the false teachers--men who come to you in sheep's fleeces, but beneath that disguise they are ravenous wolves.
16 By their fruits you will easily recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from brambles?
17 Just so every good tree produces good fruit, but a poisonous tree produces bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a poisonous tree good fruit.
19 Every tree which does not yield good fruit is cut down and thrown aside for burning.
20 So by their fruits at any rate, you will easily recognize them.
21 "Not every one who says to me, 'Master, Master,' will enter the Kingdom of the Heavens, but only those who are obedient to my Father who is in Heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, "'Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name expelled demons, and in Thy name performed many mighty works?'
23 "And then I will tell them plainly, "'I never knew you: begone from me, you doers of wickedness.'
24 "Every one who hears these my teachings and acts upon them will be found to resemble a wise man who builds his house upon rock;
25 and the heavy rain falls, the swollen torrents come, and the winds blow and beat against the house; yet it does not fall, for its foundation is on rock.
26 And every one who hears these my teachings and does not act upon them will be found to resemble a fool who builds his house upon sand.
27 The heavy rain descends, the swollen torrents come, and the winds blow and burst upon the house, and it falls; and disastrous is the fall."
28 When Jesus had concluded this discourse, the crowds were filled with amazement at His teaching,
29 for He had been teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their Scribes taught.
