Matthew 7

1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

1Do not judge others, so that you will not be judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.

2For you will be judged by the same standards you use to judge others, and the measurement you use for them will be used to measure you.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

3And why do you look at the speck of dust in your brother’s eye, but ignore the big log in your own eye?

4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye?

4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you have a log in your own eye?

5Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

5You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.

6Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs. They will only trample the pearls under their feet and then turn around and attack you.

7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

7Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you.

8for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

8For everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

9Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone;

9Which of you, if your son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone?

10or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent?

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

11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

11If you then, as sinful people, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.

12Treat others exactly the way you want them to treat you, for this summarizes the Law and the Prophets.

13Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.

13Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and many people go that way.

14For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.

14But the gate is small and the road is difficult that leads to life, and only a few people find it.

15Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

15Watch out for false prophets. They come to you looking like gentle sheep, but on the inside they are hungry wolves.

16By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

16You will recognize them by what they produce. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

17In the same way, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but a diseased tree produces bad fruit.

18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

18A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a diseased tree cannot produce good fruit.

19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

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

20Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

20So then, you will recognize these people by their fruit.

21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.

21Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does what my Father in heaven wants.

22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works?

22On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we speak for God in your name? Didn't we force out demons in your name and do many miracles in your name?'

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who practice lawlessness!'

24Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock:

24Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on solid rock.

25and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock.

25The rain poured down, the floods rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not fall because its foundation was on the rock.

26And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:

26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

27and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof.

27The rain poured down, the floods rose, and the winds blew and struck that house, and it collapsed with a total crash.

28And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching:

28When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.

29for he taught them asonehaving authority, and not as their scribes.

29This was because he taught with real authority, unlike their religious law teachers.