责人先责己

“不要论断别人,免得你们被论断。 因为你们怎样论断别人,也必照样被论断;你们用什么尺度衡量别人,也要用什么尺度衡量你们。 为什么你只看见你弟兄眼中的小刺,却看不见自己眼中的大梁呢? 既然你自己眼中有大梁,又怎么能对弟兄说‘让我除去你眼中的小刺’呢? 你这伪君子啊!要先除掉自己眼中的大梁,才能看得清楚,好清除弟兄眼中的小刺。

“不要把圣物给狗,免得狗转过头来咬你们,也不要把珍珠丢在猪前,免得猪践踏了珍珠。

祈求、寻找、叩门

“祈求,就会给你们;寻找,就会寻见;叩门,就会给你们开门。 因为凡祈求的,就得到;寻找的,就寻见;叩门的,就给他开门。

“你们做父亲的,谁会在儿子要饼时给他石头, 10 要鱼时给他毒蛇呢? 11 你们虽然邪恶,尚且知道把好东西给儿女,你们的天父岂不更要把好东西赐给求祂的人吗?

12 “所以,你们希望人怎样待你们,就要怎样待人,这是律法和先知的教导。

辨别与抉择

13 “你们要进窄门,因为通向灭亡的门大,路宽,进去的人也多; 14 但通向永生的门小,路窄,找到的人也少。

15 “你们要提防假先知,他们披着羊皮到你们当中,骨子里却是凶残的狼。 16 你们可以凭他们结的果子认出他们。荆棘怎能结出葡萄呢?蒺藜怎能长出无花果呢? 17 同样,好树结好果子,坏树结坏果子; 18 好树结不出坏果子,坏树也结不出好果子。 19 凡不结好果子的树,都要被砍下来丢在火里。 20 因此,你们可以凭他们结的果子认出他们。 21 并不是所有称呼我‘主啊,主啊’的人都能进天国,只有遵行我天父旨意的人才能进去。 22 在审判那天,很多人会对我说,‘主啊,主啊,我们不是奉你的名传道,奉你的名赶鬼,奉你的名行了许多神迹吗?’ 23 我会清楚地告诉他们,‘我从来不认识你们,你们这些作恶的人走开!’

两种盖房子的人

24 “所以,凡听了我的这些话就去行的人,就像聪明人把房子建在磐石上。 25 任由风吹雨打、洪水冲击,房子仍屹立不倒,因为它建基在磐石上。 26 凡听了我这些话不去行的,就像愚昧人把房子建在沙土上。 27 遇到风吹雨打、洪水冲击,房子就倒塌了,而且倒塌得很厉害。”

28 大家听完耶稣这番教导,都很惊奇, 29 因为祂教导他们时像位有权柄的人,不像他们的律法教师。

Judging Others

(A)Do not [a]judge, so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and [b](B)by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you (C)look at the [c]speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (D)Or how [d]can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the [e]speck out of your eye,’ and look, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the [f]speck out of your brother’s eye!

(E)Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

[g](F)Ask, and (G)it will be given to you; [h]seek, and you will find; [i]knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or what person is there among you [j]who, when his son asks for a loaf of bread, [k]will give him a stone? 10 Or [l]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 So if you, despite being [m]evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, (H)how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

12 “In everything, (I)therefore, [n]treat people the same way you want [o]them to treat you, for (J)this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 (K)Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the (L)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are (M)ravenous wolves. 16 You will [p](N)know them by their fruits. [q]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So (O)every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 (P)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will [r]know them (Q)by their fruits.

21 (R)Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 (S)Many will say to Me on (T)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [s]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; (U)leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

The Two Foundations

24 “Therefore, (V)everyone who hears these words of Mine, and [t]acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell and the [u]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not [v]act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell and the [w]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.”

28 [x](W)When Jesus had finished these words, (X)the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:1 I.e., make a habit of judging or have a judgmental attitude
  2. Matthew 7:2 Lit by which measure you measure
  3. Matthew 7:3 Or splinter
  4. Matthew 7:4 Lit will
  5. Matthew 7:4 Or splinter
  6. Matthew 7:5 Or splinter
  7. Matthew 7:7 Or Keep asking
  8. Matthew 7:7 Or keep seeking
  9. Matthew 7:7 Or keep knocking
  10. Matthew 7:9 Lit whom his son will ask
  11. Matthew 7:9 Lit he will not give him a stone, will he?
  12. Matthew 7:10 Lit also will ask
  13. Matthew 7:11 I.e., as sinful mankind
  14. Matthew 7:12 Lit you, too, do so for them
  15. Matthew 7:12 Lit people
  16. Matthew 7:16 Or recognize
  17. Matthew 7:16 Lit They do not gather
  18. Matthew 7:20 Or recognize
  19. Matthew 7:22 Or works of power
  20. Matthew 7:24 Lit does them
  21. Matthew 7:25 Lit rivers
  22. Matthew 7:26 Lit do them
  23. Matthew 7:27 Lit rivers
  24. Matthew 7:28 Lit And it happened when