Matthew 7:16

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14 Because narrow is the gate and² difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

15 ^a“Beware of false prophets, ^bwho come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

16 ^aYou will know them by their fruits. ^bDo men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

17 Even so, ^aevery good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

19 ^aEvery tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

I Never Knew You

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ^a‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who ^bdoes the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we ^anot prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’

23 And ^athen I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; ^bdepart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Build on the Rock

24 “Therefore ^awhoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that ^athe people were astonished at His teaching,

29 ^afor He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Commentaries:

Barnes' Notes

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Matthew 7:17 >>

Matthew 7:16

Ye shall know them by their fruits - The Saviour gives the proper test of their character. People do not judge of a tree by its leaves, or bark, or flowers, but by the fruit which it bears. The flowers may be beautiful and fragrant, the foliage thick and green; but these are merely ornamental. It is the "fruit" that is of chief service to man; and he forms his opinion of the nature and value of the tree by that fruit. So of pretensions to religion. The profession may be fair; but the "conduct" - the fruit - is to determine the nature of the principles.

**Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Matthew 7:16:**

Matthew 3:8
Matthew 7:28-29
Luke 6:20-49
John 15:2
James 2:18
1 John 3:7

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Matthew 7:17 >>

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