The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(A) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets.^(B) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^{(C) 16} By their fruit you will recognize them.^(D) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(E) 17} Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.^{(F) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(G) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

A Tree and Its Fruit^(A)

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.^(B) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.^(C)

²⁹ I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(A) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(B) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(C) after them.

False Teachers and Their Destruction

2 But there were also false prophets^(A) among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.^(B) They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord^(C) who bought them^(D)—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct^(E) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

On Denying the Incarnation

4 Dear friends,^(A) do not believe every spirit,^(B) but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.^(C)

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(A) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(B) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(C) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(D) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(E) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(F)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(G)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(H) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(I) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,^{(J) 29} because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(A)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(B) and do not do what I say?^(C)

⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me^(A) to have life.

⁴¹ “I do not accept glory from human beings,^{(B) 42} but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. ⁴³ I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe^(A) in the one he has sent.”^(B)