15 “Be on your guard against false prophets(A) who come to you in sheep’s(B) clothing(C) but inwardly are ravaging wolves.(D) 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit.(E) Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?(F) 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.(G) 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.(H)

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The Sermon on the Mount: Recognizing False Prophets

15 “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits: they do not gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, do they?[a] 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree is not able to produce bad fruit, nor a bad tree to produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 As a result, you will recognize them by their fruits.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:16 The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here, indicated by “do they