13 (A)“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and (B)the way is hard that leads to life, and (C)those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 (D)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are (E)ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them (F)by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, (G)every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 (H)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them (I)by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

21 (J)“Not everyone who (K)says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will (L)enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who (M)does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 (N)On that day (O)many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not (P)prophesy in your name, and cast out demons (Q)in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 (R)And then will I declare to them, ‘I (S)never knew you; (T)depart from me, (U)you workers of lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

24 (V)“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like (W)a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but 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 (X)a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

The Authority of Jesus

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, (Y)the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 (Z)for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:13 Some manuscripts For the way is wide and easy

The Narrow and Wide Gates

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

True and False Disciples

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

The Wise and Foolish Builders(N)

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

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A Tree and Its Fruit

43 “For (A)no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for (B)each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 (C)The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces (D)evil, (E)for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Build Your House on the Rock

46 (F)“Why (G)do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 (H)Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.[a] 49 (I)But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and (J)the ruin of that house was great.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 6:48 Some manuscripts founded upon the rock

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.”

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