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。

Do Not Judge(A)

“Judge[a] (B)not, that you be not judged. For with what [b]judgment you judge, you will be judged; (C)and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. (D)And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

(E)“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking(F)

(G)“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For (H)everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (I)Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, (J)being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, (K)whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for (L)this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow Way(M)

13 (N)“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 [c]Because narrow is the gate and [d]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits(O)

15 (P)“Beware of false prophets, (Q)who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 (R)You will know them by their fruits. (S)Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, (T)every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 (U)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I Never Knew You(V)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, (W)‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who (X)does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we (Y)not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And (Z)then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; (AA)depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Build on the Rock(AB)

24 “Therefore (AC)whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that (AD)the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 (AE)for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:1 Condemn
  2. Matthew 7:2 Condemnation
  3. Matthew 7:14 NU, M How narrow . . . !
  4. Matthew 7:14 confined

Do not judge others, then you will not be judged.

The way you judge others, that is the way you will be judged. How much you give to others is how much will be given to you.

`Why do you look at the spot of dust in your brother's eye? But you do not see a big stick in your own eye!

Why do you say to your brother, "Let me take the dust out of your eye"? And all the time you have that stick in your own eye!

You are not true to yourselves! First take the stick out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see to take the dust out of your brother's eye.

`Do not give what is holy to dogs. Do not throw your fine stones to pigs. They will walk all over them, and then turn and hurt you.'

`Ask, and you will get what you ask for. Look, and you will find what you look for. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.

Everyone who asks will get. The one who looks will find. And the one who knocks will have the door opened for him.

`If your son asks for bread, will any of you give him a stone?

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

11 You are wrong, and yet you know how to give good things to your children. Much more, your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask him.

12 `Do to other people what you want them to do to you. That is what the law and the writings of the prophets say.'

13 `Go in by the small gate. The gate is big and the road is wide that goes to death. Many people go that way.

14 The gate is small and the road is not wide that goes to life. Not many people find it.'

15 `Take care. There are prophets who are not true. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are like wolves, bad animals that kill sheep.

16 You will know them by the things they do. People do not pick fruit like grapes from thistles. They do not pick fruit like figs from thorn trees.

17 In the same way, every good tree has good fruit. But a bad tree has bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot have bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot have good fruit.

19 Every tree that does not have good fruit is cut down and thrown into a fire.

20 So you will know them by the things they do, good or bad fruit.'

21 `Some people say to me, "Lord, Lord". But not all who say that will go into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants, will go in.

22 Many people will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not drive bad spirits out of people in your name? Did we not do big works in your name?"

23 Then I will say to them, "I never knew you. Go away from me! What you do is very wrong!" '

24 `Everyone who hears what I say and obeys me will be like a man who has good sense. He built his house on a rock.

25 It rained hard. The water in the rivers came up high. The winds were strong and beat on the house. But it did not fall down. It was built on a rock.

26 But everyone who hears what I say and does not obey me, will be like a man who has no sense. He built his house on the sand.

27 It rained hard. The water in the rivers came up high. The winds were strong and beat on the house. It fell down with a loud noise!'

28 Jesus finished saying all these things. The people were surprised at his teaching.

29 He taught them as if he had the right to teach them. He did not teach like their scribes.

Do Not Judge

“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.(A) For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.(B) Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?(C) Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs,(D) or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Search, Knock

“Ask,(E) and it will be given to you.(F) Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door[a] will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds,(G) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil,(H) 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 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.(I)

Entering the Kingdom

13 “Enter through the narrow gate.(J) For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,(K) and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

15 “Be on your guard against false prophets(L) who come to you in sheep’s(M) clothing(N) but inwardly are ravaging wolves.(O) 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit.(P) Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?(Q) 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.(R) 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.(S)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,(T) but only the one who does the will(U) of my Father in heaven.(V) 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons(W) in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’(X) 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers![b][c](Y)

The Two Foundations

24 “Therefore,(Z) everyone who hears these words(AA) of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(AB) the crowds were astonished at his teaching,(AC) 29 because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

Footnotes

  1. 7:7 Lit and it
  2. 7:23 Lit you who work lawlessness
  3. 7:23 Ps 6:8

Judging Others(A)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.(B) For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.(C)

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock(D)

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

“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(G) to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,(H) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.(I)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

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

True and False Disciples

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

The Wise and Foolish Builders(W)

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