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Jesus forbids foolish and presumptuous judgment, reproves hypocrisy, exhorts to prayer, warns us to beware of false prophets, and so concludes his sermon.

Judge not, that you be not judged. For as you judge, so shall you be judged, and the measure you use will be measured back to you. Why do you see a speck in your brother’s eye, and not perceive the beam that is in your own eye? Or why do you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold, there is a beam in your own eye? Hypocrite, first cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to pluck the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Do not give that which is holy to dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet and then turn and tear you to shreds.

Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For whosoever asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if his son asked for bread, would offer him a stone? 10 Or if he asked for fish, would give him a serpent? 11 If, then, you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

12 Therefore whatever you would have others do unto you, so do unto them. This is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter in at the strait gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in at it. 14 But strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there are who find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 You may know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor yet can a bad tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. 20 Therefore, by their fruits you may know them.

21 Not all who say to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name have cast out devils, and in your name done many miracles? 23 And then I will declare to them that I never knew them. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity!

24 Whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 And much rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that same house; and it did not fall, because it was grounded on the rock. 26 And whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them not shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And much rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell. And great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his instruction. 29 For he taught them as one having power, and not as the scribes.

Judging Others

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged.(A) For the judgment you give will be the judgment you get, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.

Profaning the Holy

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.(B)

Ask, Search, Knock

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.(C) For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.(D) Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? 10 Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? 11 If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

12 “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.(E)

The Narrow Gate

13 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.(F) 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

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

Concerning Self-Deception

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.(J) 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’(K) 23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you who behave lawlessly.’(L)

Hearers and Doers

24 “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.(M) 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these words, the crowds were astounded at his teaching,(N) 29 for he taught them as one having authority and not as their scribes.

Footnotes

  1. 7.13 Other ancient authorities read for the road is wide and easy