Ask, Seek, Knock^(A)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you;^(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;^(C) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts^(D) to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,^(E) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.^(F)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(G) 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.^(H) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^{(I) 16} By their fruit you will recognize them.^(J) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(K) 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.^{(L) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(M) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

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

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(T)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(U) 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,^(V) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,^{(W) 29} because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy^(X)

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.

³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.^(A)

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)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(D)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(E) and do not do what I say?^{(F) 47} As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,^(G) I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”