A Tree and Its Fruit

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.^{(A) 16} You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles?^{(B) 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.^{(C) 20} Thus you will know them by their fruits.

A Tree and Its Fruit

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.^{(A) 34} You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.^{(B) 35} The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure.

A Tree and Its Fruit

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;^{(A) 44} for each tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a bramble bush.^{(B) 45} The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil, for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.^(C)

Tests in Life