Matthew 7
7
Be Careful About Criticizing Others
(Lk. 6:37–38, 41–42)
1“Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. 2If you judge others, you will be judged the same way you judge them. God will treat you the same way you treat others.
3“Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the big piece of wood that is in your own? 4Why do you say to your friend, ‘Let me take that 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 to get the dust out of your friend’s eye.
6“Don’t give something that is holy to dogs. They will only turn and hurt you. And don’t throw your pearls to pigs. They will only step on them.
Ask God for What You Need
(Lk. 11:9–13)
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, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.
9“Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? 10Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! 11You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.
A Very Important Rule
12“Do for others what you would 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 and the Way to Hell
(Lk. 13:24)
13“You can enter true life only through the narrow gate. The gate to hell is very wide, and there is plenty of room on the road that leads there. Many people go that way. 14But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it.
What People Do Shows What They Are
(Lk. 6:43–44; 13:25–27)
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 what they do. Good things don’t come from people who are bad, 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 people by what they do.#7:20 by what they do Literally, “by their fruits.”
21“Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter God’s kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what my Father in heaven wants. 22On that last Day many will call me Lord. They will say, ‘Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for God. And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ 23Then I will tell those people clearly, ‘Get away from me, you people who do wrong. I never knew you.’
Two Kinds of People
(Lk. 6:47–49)
24“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not fall because it was built on rock.
26“Whoever hears these teachings of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house. And it fell with a loud crash.”
28When Jesus finished speaking, the people were amazed at his teaching. 29He did not teach like their teachers of the law. He taught like someone who has authority.
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Matthew 7: ERV
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Matthew 7
7
Be Fair When You Judge Other People
1“Do not judge other people. Then you will not be judged. 2You will be judged in the same way you judge others. You will be measured in the same way you measure others.
3“You look at the bit of sawdust in your friend’s eye. But you pay no attention to the piece of wood in your own eye. 4How can you say to your friend, ‘Let me take the bit of sawdust out of your eye’? How can you say this while there is a piece of wood in your own eye? 5You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend’s eye.
6“Do not give holy things to dogs. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they might walk all over them. They might turn around and tear you to pieces.
Ask, Search, Knock
7“Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks.
9“Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a stone? 10Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake? 11Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you. This is what is written in the Law and in the Prophets.
The Large and Small Gates
13“Enter God’s kingdom through the narrow gate. The gate is large and the road is wide that leads to ruin. Many people go that way. 14But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to life. Only a few people find it.
True and False Prophets
15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves. 16You can tell each tree by its fruit. Do people pick grapes from bushes? Do they pick figs from thorns? 17In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree can’t bear bad fruit. And a bad tree can’t bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. It is thrown into the fire. 20You can tell each tree by its fruit.
True and False Disciples
21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord! Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we drive out demons in your name? Didn’t we do many miracles in your name?’ 23Then I will tell them clearly, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do evil!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24“So then, everyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like a wise man. He builds his house on the rock. 25The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. But it does not fall. It is built on the rock. 26But everyone who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man. He builds his house on sand. 27The rain comes down. The water rises. The winds blow and beat against that house. And it falls with a loud crash.”
28Jesus finished saying all these things. The crowds were amazed at his teaching. 29That’s because he taught like one who had authority. He did not speak like their teachers of the law.
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