La vraie religion(A)

Ne condamnez pas les autres, pour ne pas être vous-mêmes condamnés. Car vous serez condamnés vous-mêmes de la manière dont vous aurez condamné autrui, et on vous appliquera la mesure dont vous vous serez servis pour mesurer les autres.

Pourquoi vois-tu les grains de sciure dans l’œil de ton frère, alors que tu ne remarques pas la poutre qui est dans le tien ? Comment oses-tu dire à ton frère : « Laisse-moi enlever cette sciure de ton œil », alors qu’il y a une poutre dans le tien ? Hypocrite ! Commence donc par retirer la poutre de ton œil ; alors tu y verras assez clair pour ôter la sciure de l’œil de ton frère.

Gardez-vous de donner aux chiens ce qui est sacré, et ne jetez pas vos perles devant les porcs, de peur qu’ils piétinent vos perles et que les chiens se retournent contre vous pour vous déchirer.

(Lc 11.9-13)

Demandez, et vous recevrez ; cherchez, et vous trouverez ; frappez, et l’on vous ouvrira. Car celui qui demande reçoit ; celui qui cherche trouve ; et l’on ouvre à celui qui frappe.

Qui de vous donnera un caillou à son fils quand celui-ci lui demande du pain ? 10 Ou bien, s’il lui demande un poisson, lui donnera-t-il un serpent ? 11 Si donc, tout mauvais que vous êtes, vous savez donner de bonnes choses à vos enfants, à combien plus forte raison votre Père céleste donnera-t-il de bonnes choses à ceux qui les lui demandent.

(Lc 6.31)

12 Faites pour les autres tout ce que vous voudriez qu’ils fassent pour vous, car c’est là tout l’enseignement de la Loi et des prophètes.

(Lc 13.24)

13 Entrez par la porte étroite ; en effet, large est la porte et spacieuse la route qui mènent à la perdition. Nombreux sont ceux qui s’y engagent. 14 Mais étroite est la porte et resserré le sentier qui mènent à la vie ! Qu’ils sont peu nombreux ceux qui les trouvent !

(Lc 6.43-44)

15 Gardez-vous des faux prophètes ! Lorsqu’ils vous abordent, ils se donnent l’apparence d’agneaux mais, en réalité, ce sont des loups féroces. 16 Vous les reconnaîtrez à leurs fruits. Est-ce que l’on cueille des raisins sur des buissons d’épines ou des figues sur des ronces ?

17 Ainsi, un bon arbre porte de bons fruits, un mauvais arbre produit de mauvais fruits. 18 Un bon arbre ne peut pas porter de mauvais fruits, ni un mauvais arbre de bons fruits. 19 Tout arbre qui ne donne pas de bons fruits est arraché et jeté au feu. 20 Ainsi donc, c’est à leurs fruits que vous les reconnaîtrez.

Appliquer l’enseignement reçu(B)

21 Pour entrer dans le royaume des cieux, il ne suffit pas de me dire : « Seigneur ! Seigneur ! », il faut accomplir la volonté de mon Père céleste. 22 Au jour du jugement, nombreux sont ceux qui me diront : « Seigneur ! Seigneur ! Nous avons prophétisé en ton nom, nous avons chassé des démons en ton nom, nous avons fait beaucoup de miracles en ton nom. » 23 Je leur déclarerai alors : « Je ne vous ai jamais connus ! Allez-vous-en, vous qui pratiquez le mal ! »

(Lc 6.47-49)

24 C’est pourquoi, celui qui écoute ce que je dis et qui l’applique, ressemble à un homme sensé qui a bâti sa maison sur le roc. 25 Il a plu à verse, les fleuves ont débordé, les vents ont soufflé avec violence, ils se sont déchaînés contre cette maison : elle ne s’est pas effondrée, car ses fondations reposaient sur le roc. 26 Mais celui qui écoute mes paroles sans faire ce que je dis, ressemble à un homme assez fou pour construire sa maison sur le sable. 27 Il a plu à verse, les fleuves ont débordé, les vents ont soufflé avec violence, ils se sont déchaînés contre cette maison : elle s’est effondrée et sa ruine a été complète.

28 Quand Jésus eut fini de parler, les foules étaient profondément impressionnées par son enseignement. 29 Car il parlait avec une autorité que n’avaient pas leurs spécialistes de la Loi.

責人先責己

「不要論斷別人,免得你們被論斷。 因為你們怎樣論斷別人,也必照樣被論斷;你們用什麼尺度衡量別人,也要用什麼尺度衡量你們。 為什麼你只看見你弟兄眼中的小刺,卻看不見自己眼中的大樑呢? 既然你自己眼中有大樑,又怎麼能對弟兄說『讓我除去你眼中的小刺』呢? 你這偽君子啊!要先除掉自己眼中的大樑,才能看得清楚,好清除弟兄眼中的小刺。

「不要把聖物給狗,免得狗轉過頭來咬你們,也不要把珍珠丟在豬前,免得豬踐踏了珍珠。

祈求、尋找、叩門

「祈求,就會給你們;尋找,就會尋見;叩門,就會給你們開門。 因為凡祈求的,就得到;尋找的,就尋見;叩門的,就給他開門。

「你們做父親的,誰會在兒子要餅時給他石頭, 10 要魚時給他毒蛇呢? 11 你們雖然邪惡,尚且知道把好東西給兒女,你們的天父豈不更要把好東西賜給求祂的人嗎?

12 「所以,你們希望人怎樣待你們,就要怎樣待人,這是律法和先知的教導。

辨別與抉擇

13 「你們要進窄門,因為通向滅亡的門大,路寬,進去的人也多; 14 但通向永生的門小,路窄,找到的人也少。

15 「你們要提防假先知,他們披著羊皮到你們當中,骨子裡卻是凶殘的狼。 16 你們可以憑他們結的果子認出他們。荊棘怎能結出葡萄呢?蒺藜怎能長出無花果呢? 17 同樣,好樹結好果子,壞樹結壞果子; 18 好樹結不出壞果子,壞樹也結不出好果子。 19 凡不結好果子的樹,都要被砍下來丟在火裡。 20 因此,你們可以憑他們結的果子認出他們。 21 並不是所有稱呼我『主啊,主啊』的人都能進天國,只有遵行我天父旨意的人才能進去。 22 在審判那天,很多人會對我說,『主啊,主啊,我們不是奉你的名傳道,奉你的名趕鬼,奉你的名行了許多神蹟嗎?』 23 我會清楚地告訴他們,『我從來不認識你們,你們這些作惡的人走開!』

兩種蓋房子的人

24 「所以,凡聽了我的這些話就去行的人,就像聰明人把房子建在磐石上。 25 任由風吹雨打、洪水沖擊,房子仍屹立不倒,因為它建基在磐石上。 26 凡聽了我這些話不去行的,就像愚昧人把房子建在沙土上。 27 遇到風吹雨打、洪水沖擊,房子就倒塌了,而且倒塌得很厲害。」

28 大家聽完耶穌這番教導,都很驚奇, 29 因為祂教導他們時像位有權柄的人,不像他們的律法教師。

Judging Others

(A)“Judge not, that you be not judged. (B)For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and (C)with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but (D)do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, when there is the log 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 brother's eye.

(E)“Do not give (F)dogs what is holy, and do not throw your (G)pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Ask, and It Will Be Given

(H)“Ask, (I)and it will be given to you; (J)seek, and you will find; (K)knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for (L)bread, will give him (M)a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, (N)who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will (O)your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

12 “So (P)whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is (Q)the Law and the Prophets.

13 (R)“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and (S)the way is hard that leads to life, and (T)those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 (U)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are (V)ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them (W)by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thorn bushes? 17 So, (X)every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 (Y)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them (Z)by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

21 (AA)“Not everyone who (AB)says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will (AC)enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who (AD)does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 (AE)On that day (AF)many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not (AG)prophesy in your name, and cast out demons (AH)in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 (AI)And then will I declare to them, ‘I (AJ)never knew you; (AK)depart from me, (AL)you workers of lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

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

The Authority of Jesus

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, (AP)the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 (AQ)for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:13 Some manuscripts For the way is wide and easy

Do Not Judge

“Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.(A) For with the judgment you use,[a] you will be judged, and with the measure you use,[b] it will be measured to you.(B) Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye?(C) Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs,(D) or they will trample them with their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces.

Keep Asking, Searching, Knocking

“Keep asking,[c](E) and it will be given to you.(F) Keep searching,[d] and you will find. Keep knocking,[e] and the door[f] will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds,(G) and to the one who knocks, the door[g] will be opened. What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil,(H) 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! 12 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them—this is the Law and the Prophets.[h](I)

Entering the Kingdom

13 “Enter through the narrow gate.(J) For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction,(K) and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

15 “Beware of false prophets(L) who come to you in sheep’s(M) clothing(N) but inwardly are ravaging wolves.(O) 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit.(P) Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?(Q) 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.(R) 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.(S)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,(T) but only the one who does the will(U) of My Father in heaven.(V) 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons(W) in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’(X) 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers![i](Y)[j]

The Two Foundations

24 “Therefore,(Z) everyone who hears these words(AA) of Mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of Mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. And its collapse was great!”

28 When Jesus had finished this sermon,[k](AB) the crowds were astonished at His teaching,(AC) 29 because He was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:2 Lit you judge
  2. Matthew 7:2 Lit you measure
  3. Matthew 7:7 Or Ask
  4. Matthew 7:7 Or Search
  5. Matthew 7:7 Or Knock
  6. Matthew 7:7 Lit and it
  7. Matthew 7:8 Lit knocks, it
  8. Matthew 7:12 When capitalized, the Law and the Prophets = the OT
  9. Matthew 7:23 Lit you who work lawlessness
  10. Matthew 7:23 Ps 6:8
  11. Matthew 7:28 Lit had ended these words