Matthew 12:33-37
New American Standard Bible
Words Reveal Character
33 “Either [a]assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or [b]assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for (A)the tree is known by its fruit. 34 (B)You [c]offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? (C)For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. 35 (D)The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things. 36 But I tell you that for every [d]careless word that people [e]speak, they will give an account of it on the (E)day of judgment. 37 For [f]by your words you will be justified, and [g]by your words you will be condemned.”
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- Matthew 12:33 Lit make
- Matthew 12:33 Lit make
- Matthew 12:34 Or brood
- Matthew 12:36 Or useless
- Matthew 12:36 Lit will speak
- Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with
- Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with
Matthew 12:33-37
New English Translation
Trees and Their Fruit
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad[a] and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 35 The good person[b] brings good things out of his[c] good treasury,[d] and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 36 I[e] tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
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- Matthew 12:33 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying both “tree” and “fruit,” can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
- Matthew 12:35 tn The Greek text reads here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos). The term is generic referring to any person.
- Matthew 12:35 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here and in the following clause (“his evil treasury”) as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
- Matthew 12:35 sn The treasury here is a metaphorical reference to a person’s heart (cf. BDAG 456 s.v. θησαυρός 1.b and the parallel passage in Luke 6:45).
- Matthew 12:36 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
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