³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.^(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.

¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them.^(A) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(B) 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.^{(C) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(D) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(A) Wash your hands,^(B) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(C) you double-minded.^(D)

³⁹ Then the Lord^(A) said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.^{(B) 40} You foolish people!^(C) Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?

⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.^{(A) 9} And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(B) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(C)

⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you.^(A) No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;^(B) apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.^{(C) 7} If you remain in me^(D) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.^(E)

¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?^(A) Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.