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15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.(A)

16 You will [a]fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [[b]worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.

18 A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear [c]excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

20 Therefore, you will [d]fully know them by their fruits.

21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name?

23 And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].(B)

24 So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a [e]sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock.

25 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet 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 a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon 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 and complete was the fall of it.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:16 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  2. Matthew 7:17 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  3. Matthew 7:18 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  4. Matthew 7:20 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  5. Matthew 7:24 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 (A)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are (B)ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them (C)by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, (D)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 (E)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them (F)by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

21 (G)“Not everyone who (H)says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will (I)enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who (J)does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 (K)On that day (L)many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not (M)prophesy in your name, and cast out demons (N)in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 (O)And then will I declare to them, ‘I (P)never knew you; (Q)depart from me, (R)you workers of lawlessness.’

Build Your House on the Rock

24 (S)“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like (T)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 (U)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.”

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