¹⁶ You will ^[a](A)know them by their fruits. ^[b]Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, ^(B)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 (C)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So then, you will ^[c]know them ^(D)by their fruits.

²¹ “^(E)Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ^22 (F)Many will say to Me on ^(G)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many ^[d]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; ^(H)depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

²⁴ “Therefore ^(I)everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them, ^[e]may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and fell against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone hearing these words of Mine and not doing them, may be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain descended, and the rivers came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

^28 [f](J)Now it happened that when Jesus had finished these words, ^(K)the crowds were astonished at His teaching; ²⁹ for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

⁶ For in ^(A)Christ Jesus ^(B)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but ^(C)faith working through love.