^7:16You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered²¹ from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?²²^7:17In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad²³ tree bears bad fruit. ^7:18A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. ^7:19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ^7:20So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.

Judgment of Pretenders

^7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’²⁴ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. ^7:22On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do²⁵ many powerful deeds?’ ^7:23Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’²⁶

Hearing and Doing

^7:24“Everyone²⁷ who hears these words of mine and does them is like²⁸ a wise man²⁹ who built his house on rock. ^7:25The rain fell, the flood³⁰ came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock. ^7:26Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ^7:27The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed; it was utterly destroyed!”³¹

^7:28When³² Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching, ^7:29because he taught them like one who had authority,³³ not like their experts in the law.³⁴

Read in Logos

Matthew 7:24: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Footnotes

21 Grk “They do not gather.” This has been simplified to the passive voice in the translation since the subject “they” is not specified further in the context.
22 The statement illustrates the principle: That which cannot produce fruit does not produce fruit.
23 Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying “tree” in both v. 17 and 18, can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
24 The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.
25 Grk “and in your name do.” This phrase was not repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
26 Grk “workers of lawlessness.”
27 Grk “Therefore everyone.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
28 Grk “will be like.” The same phrase occurs in v. 26.
29 Here and in v. 26 the Greek text reads ἀνήρ (anēr), while the parallel account in Luke 6:47–49 uses ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) in vv. 48 and 49.
30 Grk “the rivers.”
31 Grk “and great was its fall.”
32 Grk “And it happened when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
33 Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
34 Or “their scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .