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Matthew 7:7-23
New American Standard Bible
Matthew 7:7-23
New American Standard Bible
Prayer and the Golden Rule
7 “[a](A)Ask, and (B)it will be given to you; [b]seek, and you will find; [c]knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what person is there among you [d]who, when his son asks for a loaf of bread, [e]will give him a stone? 10 Or [f]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 So if you, despite being [g]evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, (C)how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
12 “In everything, (D)therefore, [h]treat people the same way you want [i]them to treat you, for (E)this is the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “(F)Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of the (G)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are (H)ravenous wolves. 16 You will [j](I)know them by their fruits. [k]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So (J)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 (K)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will [l]know them (L)by their fruits.
21 “(M)Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 (N)Many will say to Me on (O)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [m]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; (P)leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 7:7 Or Keep asking
- Matthew 7:7 Or keep seeking
- Matthew 7:7 Or keep knocking
- Matthew 7:9 Lit whom his son will ask
- Matthew 7:9 Lit he will not give him a stone, will he?
- Matthew 7:10 Lit also will ask
- Matthew 7:11 I.e., as sinful mankind
- Matthew 7:12 Lit you, too, do so for them
- Matthew 7:12 Lit people
- Matthew 7:16 Or recognize
- Matthew 7:16 Lit They do not gather
- Matthew 7:20 Or recognize
- Matthew 7:22 Or works of power
Matthew 7:7-23
New International Version
Matthew 7:7-23
New International Version
Ask, Seek, Knock(A)
7 “Ask and it will be given to you;(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;(C) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “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(D) to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,(E) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.(F)
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate.(G) 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.(H) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.(I) 16 By their fruit you will recognize them.(J) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?(K) 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.(L) 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.(M) 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’(N) will enter the kingdom of heaven,(O) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.(P) 22 Many will say to me on that day,(Q) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’(R) 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’(S)
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.