Matthew 7
7
Be Careful About Judging Others
1“Don’t judge other people, and you will not be judged. 2You will be judged in the same way that you judge others. And the forgiveness you give to others will be given to you.
3“Why do you notice the little piece of dust that is in your brother’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood that is in your own eye? 4Why do you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye’? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. 5You are a hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly enough to take the dust out of your brother’s eye.
6“Don’t give holy things to dogs. Don’t throw your pearls before pigs. Pigs will only trample on them. And the dogs will only turn to attack you.
Ask God for What You Need
7“Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 8Yes, everyone who continues asking will receive. He who continues searching will find. And he who continues knocking will have the door opened for him.
9“What would you do if your son asks for bread? Which of you would give him a stone? 10Or if your son asks for a fish, would you give him a snake? 11Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.
The Most Important Rule
12“Do for other people the same things you want them to do for you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
The Way to Heaven Is Hard
13“Enter through the narrow gate. The road that leads to hell is a very easy road. And the gate to hell is very wide. Many people enter through that gate. 14But the gate that opens the way to true life is very small. And the road to true life is very hard. Only a few people find that road.
People Know You by Your Actions
15“Be careful of false prophets. They come to you and look gentle like sheep. But they are really dangerous like wolves. 16You will know these people because of the things they do. Good things don’t come from bad people, just as grapes don’t come from thornbushes. And figs don’t come from thorny weeds. 17In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit. And bad trees produce bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot produce bad fruit. And a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. 19Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20You will know these false prophets by what they produce.
21“Not everyone who says ‘You are my Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. The only people who will enter the kingdom of heaven are those who do the things that my Father in heaven wants. 22On the last day many people will say to me, ‘You are our Lord! We spoke for you. And through you we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ 23Then I will tell them clearly, ‘Get away from me, you who do evil. I never knew you.’
Two Kinds of People
24“Everyone who hears these things I say and obeys them is like a wise man. The wise man built his house on rock. 25It rained hard and the water rose. The winds blew and hit that house. But the house did not fall, because the house was built on rock. 26But the person who hears the things I teach and does not obey them is like a foolish man. The foolish man built his house on sand. 27It rained hard, the water rose, and the winds blew and hit that house. And the house fell with a big crash.”
28When Jesus finished saying these things, the people were amazed at his teaching. 29Jesus did not teach like their teachers of the law. He taught like a person who had authority.
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Matthew 7: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Matthew 7
7
Judging
1 “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2You’ll receive the same judgment you give. Whatever you deal out will be dealt out to you. 3Why do you see the splinter that’s in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when there’s a log in your eye? 5You deceive yourself! First take the log out of your eye, and then you’ll see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s or sister’s eye. 6Don’t give holy things to dogs, and don’t throw your pearls in front of pigs. They will stomp on the pearls, then turn around and attack you.
Asking, seeking, knocking
7 “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door is opened. 9Who among you will give your children a stone when they ask for bread? 10Or give them a snake when they ask for fish? 11If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. 12Therefore, you should treat people in the same way that you want people to treat you; this is the Law and the Prophets.
Narrow gate
13 “Go in through the narrow gate. The gate that leads to destruction is broad and the road wide, so many people enter through it. 14But the gate that leads to life is narrow and the road difficult, so few people find it.
Tree and fruit
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are vicious wolves. 16You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles? 17In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit. 18A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit. 19Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore, you will know them by their fruit.
Entrance requirements
21 “Not everybody who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter. 22On the Judgment Day, many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name and expel demons in your name and do lots of miracles in your name?’ 23Then I’ll tell them, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you people who do wrong.’
Two foundations
24“Everybody who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise builder who built a house on bedrock. 25The rain fell, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It didn’t fall because it was firmly set on bedrock. 26But everybody who hears these words of mine and doesn’t put them into practice will be like a fool who built a house on sand. 27The rain fell, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. It fell and was completely destroyed.”
Crowd’s response
28When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching 29because he was teaching them like someone with authority and not like their legal experts.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.