Matthew, 7

1. 'Do not judge, and you will not be judged;

1. "Judge not, that you be not judged.

2. because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the standard you use will be the standard used for you.

2. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.

3. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother's eye and never notice the great log in your own?

3. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

4. And how dare you say to your brother, "Let me take that splinter out of your eye," when, look, there is a great log in your own?

4. Or how can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?

5. Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother's eye.

5. You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

6. 'Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.

6. "Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

7. 'Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

7. "Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

8. Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

8. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

9. Is there anyone among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread?

9. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10. Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish?

10. Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

11. If you, then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

11. If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12. 'So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the Law and the Prophets.

12. So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

13. 'Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many take it;

13. "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

14. but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

14. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

15. 'Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves.

15. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

16. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

16. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17. In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit.

17. So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit.

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

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

19. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire.

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

20. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.

20. Thus you will know them by their fruits.

21. 'It is not anyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.

21. "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22. When the day comes many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?"

22. On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

23. Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, all evil doers!

23. And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'

24. 'Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock.

24. "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;

25. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock.

25. and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

26. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand.

26. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;

27. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!'

27. and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

28. Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people

28. And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,

29. because he taught them with authority, unlike their own scribes.

29. for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.