責人先責己

「不要論斷別人,免得你們被論斷。 因為你們怎樣論斷別人,也必照樣被論斷;你們用什麼尺度衡量別人,也要用什麼尺度衡量你們。 為什麼你只看見你弟兄眼中的小刺,卻看不見自己眼中的大樑呢? 既然你自己眼中有大樑,又怎麼能對弟兄說『讓我除去你眼中的小刺』呢? 你這偽君子啊!要先除掉自己眼中的大樑,才能看得清楚,好清除弟兄眼中的小刺。

「不要把聖物給狗,免得狗轉過頭來咬你們,也不要把珍珠丟在豬前,免得豬踐踏了珍珠。

祈求、尋找、叩門

「祈求,就會給你們;尋找,就會尋見;叩門,就會給你們開門。 因為凡祈求的,就得到;尋找的,就尋見;叩門的,就給他開門。

「你們做父親的,誰會在兒子要餅時給他石頭, 10 要魚時給他毒蛇呢? 11 你們雖然邪惡,尚且知道把好東西給兒女,你們的天父豈不更要把好東西賜給求祂的人嗎?

12 「所以,你們希望人怎樣待你們,就要怎樣待人,這是律法和先知的教導。

辨別與抉擇

13 「你們要進窄門,因為通向滅亡的門大,路寬,進去的人也多; 14 但通向永生的門小,路窄,找到的人也少。

15 「你們要提防假先知,他們披著羊皮到你們當中,骨子裡卻是凶殘的狼。 16 你們可以憑他們結的果子認出他們。荊棘怎能結出葡萄呢?蒺藜怎能長出無花果呢? 17 同樣,好樹結好果子,壞樹結壞果子; 18 好樹結不出壞果子,壞樹也結不出好果子。 19 凡不結好果子的樹,都要被砍下來丟在火裡。 20 因此,你們可以憑他們結的果子認出他們。 21 並不是所有稱呼我『主啊,主啊』的人都能進天國,只有遵行我天父旨意的人才能進去。 22 在審判那天,很多人會對我說,『主啊,主啊,我們不是奉你的名傳道,奉你的名趕鬼,奉你的名行了許多神蹟嗎?』 23 我會清楚地告訴他們,『我從來不認識你們,你們這些作惡的人走開!』

兩種蓋房子的人

24 「所以,凡聽了我的這些話就去行的人,就像聰明人把房子建在磐石上。 25 任由風吹雨打、洪水沖擊,房子仍屹立不倒,因為它建基在磐石上。 26 凡聽了我這些話不去行的,就像愚昧人把房子建在沙土上。 27 遇到風吹雨打、洪水沖擊,房子就倒塌了,而且倒塌得很厲害。」

28 大家聽完耶穌這番教導,都很驚奇, 29 因為祂教導他們時像位有權柄的人,不像他們的律法教師。

耶稣谈评价他人

“不要评判人,上帝就不会评判你们。 因为你们用什么样的方式评判人,上帝也会用同样的方式来评判你们。你们用什么尺度衡量人,上帝也会用同样的尺度来衡量你们。

“为什么你只看见朋友眼里有刺,却看不见自己眼里有梁木呢? 既然你眼里有梁木,怎么能对你的朋友说∶‘让我来把你眼中的刺挑出来’呢? 你这个虚伪的人啊,还是先移去你自己眼中的梁木吧,然后,你才能看清楚,把朋友眼里的刺挑出来。

“不要把圣物喂狗,狗会反咬你一口;也不要把珍珠丢给猪,它们只会用蹄子践踏了珍珠。

向上帝请求你们需要的

“不断地请求,上帝就会赐给你们;不断地寻求,你们就会找到;不停地敲门,门就会为你们打开。 是的,不断请求的人就会得到;不断寻找的人就会找到;不停敲门的人,门就会为他打开。

“你们当中谁有儿子吗?如果他向你要面包,你会给他石头吗? 10 或者,如果他要鱼,你会给他蛇吗?绝对不会! 11 你们虽然邪恶,但是还知道如何把好东西给自己的孩子,那么,你们的天父肯定会把好东西给那些向他请求的人们了!

最重要的规则

12 “因此,在任何事情上,你们想让别人怎样对待自己,你们也应该怎样对待别人,这就是摩西律法和先知教导的含义。

天堂与地狱之路

13 “你们只有从窄门进去才能进入真正的生命,通向毁灭的门是敞开的,通向毁灭的路是宽阔的,有许多人走上了这条毁灭之路。 14 但是,通向永生的门是非常窄小和艰难的,只有极少数的人才能找到它。

人的行为表现品格

15 “要提防假先知,他们来到你们面前,看上去像绵羊,实际上却是危险的狼。 16 通过这些人的行为,你们会知道他们是什么样的人,就如荆棘丛中摘不到葡萄、蒺藜藤上结不出无花果一样。 17 同样,好树结好果,坏树结恶果。 18 好树结不出恶果;坏树也结不出好果。 19 所有不结好果的树,都要被砍倒,扔进火里烧掉。 20 同样的道理,你们可以从人的行为,看出他们的品质。

21 “不是所有呼唤我说‘主啊,主啊’的人,都能进天国。只有按照天父旨意行事的人,才能进天国。 22 在最后的日子里,许多人会呼唤我为主,说道∶‘主啊,主啊!我们曾以您的名义传道,我们曾以您的名义驱鬼。我们曾以您的名义行奇迹 [a]。’ 23 但是,我会清清楚楚地告诉他们∶‘我从来就不认识你们,走开,你们这些做恶的人。’

两种人

24 “听了我的话并付诸行动的人,就像一个深谋远虑的人,把自己的房子建在坚固的磐石上。 25 纵使雨淋、水冲、风吹击打,房子也不会倒塌,因为房基建在磐石上。 26 然而,听了我的话,却不付诸于行动的人,就像一个愚蠢的人,把房子建在沙滩上。 27 雨淋、水冲、风吹击打着房子,房子轰然倒塌了。”

28 耶稣讲完话后,人们都对他的教导非常惊讶, 29 因为他与其他的律法师不同,他像一个拥有权威的人那样传教。

Footnotes

  1. 馬 太 福 音 7:22 奇迹: 由上帝的力量所行的惊人的事情。

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.

Judging Others

[a]Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you. Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), first get the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

“Do not give that which is holy to [b]dogs, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, for they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Prayer and the Golden Rule

[c]Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.(A) For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will [instead] give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will [instead] give him a snake? 11 If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him.

12 “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss, and there are many who enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it.(B)

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.(C) 16 By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?(D) 17 Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’(E)

The Two Foundations

24 “So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man [a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man] who built his house on the rock.(F) 25 And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great and complete was its fall.”

28 When Jesus had finished [speaking] these words [on the mountain], the crowds were astonished and overwhelmed at His teaching; 29 for He was teaching them as one who had authority [to teach entirely of His own volition], and not as their scribes [who relied on others to confirm their authority].

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:1 This is not a prohibition of judgment, nor is it a command to stop using godly wisdom, common sense, and moral courage together with God’s written word to discern right from wrong, to distinguish between morality and immorality, and to judge doctrinal truth. There are many judgments that are not only legitimate, but are commanded (cf John 7:24; 1 Cor 5:5, 12; Gal 1:8, 9; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 10); however, you cannot judge another if you are committing the same type of sin.
  2. Matthew 7:6 In this verse “dogs” and “pigs” represent those who despise sacred things.
  3. Matthew 7:7 Here the use of Greek present imperatives (asking, seeking, knocking; vv 7, 8) emphasizes persistent, constant prayer.

Do Not Judge

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.[a] For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive.[b] Why[c] do you see the speck[d] in your brother’s eye, but fail to see[e] the beam of wood[f] in your own? Or how can you say[g] to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.[h]

Ask, Seek, Knock

“Ask[i] and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door[j] will be opened for you. For everyone who asks[k] receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Is[l] there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?[m] 11 If you then, although you are evil,[n] know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts[o] to those who ask him! 12 In[p] everything, treat others as you would want them[q] to treat you,[r] for this fulfills[s] the law and the prophets.

The Narrow Gate

13 “Enter[t] through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 How[u] narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life,[v] and there are few who find it!

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Watch out for false prophets,[w] who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.[x] 16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered[y] from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?[z] 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad[aa] tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.

Judgment of Pretenders

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’[ab] will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many powerful deeds in your name?’[ac] 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’[ad]

Hearing and Doing

24 “Everyone[ae] who hears these words of mine and does them is like[af] a wise man[ag] who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the flood[ah] came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation had been laid on rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed—it was utterly destroyed!”[ai]

28 When[aj] Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching, 29 because he taught them like one who had authority,[ak] not like their experts in the law.[al]

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:1 sn The point of the statement do not judge so that you will not be judged is that the standards we apply to others God applies to us. The passive verb will not be judged has God is the unstated performer of the action. Such usage is generally thought to have arisen within Judaism out of the tendency to minimize the mention of God’s name out of reverence for God, and carried over into early Christian tradition, although in this particular verse the agent may be left unstated more for rhetorical effect. See also ExSyn 437-38.
  2. Matthew 7:2 tn Grk “by the measure with which you measure it will be measured to you.”
  3. Matthew 7:3 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  4. Matthew 7:3 sn The term translated speck (KJV, ASV “mote”; NAB “splinter”) refers to a small piece of wood, chaff, or straw; see L&N 3.66.
  5. Matthew 7:3 tn Or “do not notice.”
  6. Matthew 7:3 sn The term beam of wood refers to a very big piece of wood, the main beam of a building, in contrast to the speck in the other’s eye (L&N 7.78).
  7. Matthew 7:4 tn Grk “how will you say?”
  8. Matthew 7:6 tn Or “otherwise the latter will trample them under their feet and the former will turn around and tear you to pieces.” This verse is sometimes understood as a chiasm of the pattern a-b-b-a, in which the first and last clauses belong together (“dogs…turn around and tear you to pieces”) and the second and third clauses belong together (“pigs…trample them under their feet”).
  9. Matthew 7:7 tn The three present imperatives in this verse are best viewed as iterative (Wallace, ExSyn 722, lists the verse as an example of this usage), calling for repeated action.sn Many interpreters see the three present imperatives (Ask…seek…knock) as mainly limited to persistence in prayer (cf. v. 11), though others see them referring more generally to taking the initiative with God in various ways.
  10. Matthew 7:7 tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation here and in v. 8 for clarity.
  11. Matthew 7:8 sn The actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are repeated here from v. 7 with the additional encouragement that God does respond to such requests/actions.
  12. Matthew 7:9 tn Grk “Or is there.”
  13. Matthew 7:10 sn The two questions of vv. 9-10 use a construction in Greek that expects a negative answer: “No parent would do this!”
  14. Matthew 7:11 tn The participle ὄντες (ontes) has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle: in spite of the fact that the hearers are “evil,” they still know how to give “good gifts” to their own children (see also ExSyn 634).
  15. Matthew 7:11 sn The provision of the good gifts is probably a reference to the wisdom and guidance supplied in response to repeated requests. The teaching as a whole stresses not that we get everything we want, but that God gives the good that we need.
  16. Matthew 7:12 tn Grk “Therefore in.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
  17. Matthew 7:12 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), referring to both males and females.
  18. Matthew 7:12 sn Jesus’ teaching as reflected in the phrase treat others as you would want them to treat you, known generally as the Golden Rule, is not completely unique in the ancient world, but here it is stated in its most emphatic, selfless form. It is stated negatively in Tobit 4:15, and can also be found in the Talmud in a story about the great rabbi Hillel, who is said to have told a Gentile who asked to be taught the Torah, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor; that is the whole Torah, while the rest is the commentary thereof; go and learn it” (b. Shabbat 31a).
  19. Matthew 7:12 tn Grk “is”; cf. CEV “This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about”; NIV “for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
  20. Matthew 7:13 sn The same verb is used in Matt 5:20, suggesting that the kingdom of heaven is to be understood here as the object.
  21. Matthew 7:14 tn See BDAG 1007 s.v. τίς for the translation of τί (ti) as an exclamation.
  22. Matthew 7:14 sn Here the destination is specified as life. In several places Matthew uses “life” or “eternal life” in proximity with “the kingdom of heaven,” suggesting a close relationship between the two concepts (compare Matt 25:34 with v. 46; Matt 19:16, 17, 29 with vv. 23, 24). Matthew consistently portrays “eternal life” as something a person enters in the world to come, whereas the Gospel of John sees “eternal life” as beginning in the present and continuing into the future (cf. John 5:24).
  23. Matthew 7:15 sn The identity of these false prophets is not specified, and this has led to a wide variety of suggested referents: the Pharisees, the Zealots, the Essenes (all roughly contemporaries of Jesus), later groups (representatives of Pauline Christianity, the Gnostics) or later individuals (Simon Magus mentioned in Acts 8:9-24, Bar Kokhba who led the Jewish revolt of A.D. 132-35), or the eschatological false prophets who will lead people astray in the end times (Matt 24:24). Of course, some of these suggestions assume a second century date for the composition (or redaction) of the Gospel of Matthew.
  24. Matthew 7:15 sn Sheeps clothing…voracious wolves. Jesus uses a metaphor here to point out that these false prophets appear to be one thing, but in reality they are something quite different and dangerous.
  25. Matthew 7:16 tn Grk “They do not gather.” This has been simplified to the passive voice in the translation since the subject “they” is not specified further in the context.
  26. Matthew 7:16 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer. This is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question “are they?” at the end of the sentence.sn The statement illustrates the principle: That which cannot produce fruit does not produce fruit.
  27. Matthew 7:17 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying “tree” in both v. 17 and 18, can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
  28. Matthew 7:21 sn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession like this one without corresponding action means little.
  29. Matthew 7:22 tn Grk “did we not in your name prophesy and in your name cast out demons and in your name do many powerful deeds.” The phrase “in your name” occurs before each of the verbs in the Greek text, making it somewhat emphatic, but the phrase was placed after the verbs in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  30. Matthew 7:23 tn Or “you who commit lawless deeds”; or “you who behave lawlessly”; Grk “workers of lawlessness.”
  31. Matthew 7:24 tn Grk “Therefore everyone.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
  32. Matthew 7:24 tn Grk “will be like.” The same phrase occurs in v. 26.
  33. Matthew 7:24 tn Here and in v. 26 the Greek text reads ἀνήρ (anēr), while the parallel account in Luke 6:47-49 uses ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) in vv. 48 and 49.
  34. Matthew 7:25 tn Grk “the rivers.”
  35. Matthew 7:27 tn Grk “and great was its fall.”
  36. Matthew 7:28 tn Grk “And it happened when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  37. Matthew 7:29 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Jesus addressed the issues directly, in terms of his own understanding, without citing other teachers.
  38. Matthew 7:29 tn Or “their scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.