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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A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Beware of the (A)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are (B)ravenous wolves. 16 You will [a](C)know them by their fruits. [b]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So (D)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 (E)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will [c]know them (F)by their fruits.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 7:16 Or recognize
  2. Matthew 7:16 Lit They do not gather
  3. Matthew 7:20 Or recognize