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The Narrow Gate

13 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.(A) 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.(B) 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles?(C) 17 In the same way, 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 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.(D) 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

Concerning Self-Deception

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.(E) 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’(F) 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’(G)

Hearers and Doers

24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.(H) 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these words, the crowds were astounded at his teaching,(I) 29 for he taught them as one having authority and not as their scribes.

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Footnotes

  1. 7.13 Other ancient authorities read for the road 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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