A Tree and Its Fruit

¹⁵ “Beware of the ^(A)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ^(B)ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will ^[a](C)know them by their fruits. ^[b]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷ So ^(D)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 (E)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So then, you will ^[c]know them ^(F)by their fruits.

²¹ “^(G)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 (H)Many will say to Me on ^(I)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ^[d]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; ^(J)leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

¹⁸ For, while speaking out ^(A)arrogant words of no ^(B)value they ^(C)entice by fleshly desires, by ^(D)indecent behavior, those who barely ^(E)escape from the ones who live in error, ¹⁹ promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for ^(F)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to me, “The ^(A)prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. ^(B)I have neither sent them nor commanded them, nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a ^(C)false vision, divination, futility, and the deception of their own ^[a]minds.