Psalm 102^[a]

A prayer of an afflicted person who has grown weak and pours out a lament before the Lord.

Judging Others^(A)

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.^{(B) 2} For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.^(C)

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock^(D)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you;^(E) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;^(F) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts^(G) to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,^(H) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.^(I)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(J) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets.^(K) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^{(L) 16} By their fruit you will recognize them.^(M) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(N) 17} Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.^{(O) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(P) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(Q) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(R) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(S) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(T) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(U) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(V)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(W)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(X) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(Y) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,^{(Z) 29} because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.