THE BOOK OF MATTHEW

 

Matthew Chapter 7

1 ¶ Do not Judge, that you may not be judged.

2 For you will be judged by the judgement you use: and you will be measured, by the measure you use.

3 And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but ignore the beam that is in your own eye?

4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me pull the speck out of your eye; and, look, there is a beam in your own eye?

5 You hypocrite, first remove the beam from your own eye; and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 Do not give that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and tear you.

7 ¶ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you:

8 For every one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it will be opened.

9 Or what man is there among you, who will give his son a stone, if he asks for bread?

10 Or give him a snake, if he asks for fish?

11 If you then, know how to give good gifts to your children, even though you are wicked, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

12 ¶ Therefore do for others, everything you would have them to do for you: for this sums up the law and the prophets.

13 Enter in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it:

14 Because narrow is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17 Even so every good tree produces good fruit; but a corrupt tree produces evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is chopped down, and thrown into the fire.

20 Therefore you will know 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.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?

23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you who do evil.

24 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it did not fall: because it was founded on a rock.

26 And every one who hears these sayings of mine, and does not do them, will be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell: and great was its fall.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

  1. For he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

[Note: In verses 1-5 Jesus deals with the same self-righteous judging dealt with in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee let the sins of others blind him to his own sin, and so was condemned. In contrast, the publican judged himself, and thus was not condemned (Luke 18:9-14). (See 1Corinthians 5:12-6:5 and 11:31.)]

[Note: Verses 13 and 14 are explained by Acts 4:12 and John 14:6.]