GodsWord - Matthew - 7

7:1  "Stop judging so that you will not be judged.

7:2  Otherwise, you will be judged by the same standard you use to judge others. The standards you use for others will be applied to you.

7:3  So why do you see the piece of sawdust in another believer's eye and not notice the wooden beam in your own eye?

7:4  How can you say to another believer, 'Let me take the piece of sawdust out of your eye,' when you have a beam in your own eye?

7:5  You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye. Then you will see clearly to remove the piece of sawdust from another believer's eye.

7:6  "Don't give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls to pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them and then tear you to pieces.

7:7  "Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened for you.

7:8  Everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find, and for the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

7:9  "If your child asks you for bread, would any of you give him a stone?

7:10  Or if your child asks for a fish, would you give him a snake?

7:11  Even though you're evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

7:12  "Always do for other people everything you want them to do for you. That is the meaning of Moses' Teachings and the Prophets.

7:13  "Enter through the narrow gate because the gate and road that lead to destruction are wide. Many enter through the wide gate.

7:14  But the narrow gate and the road that lead to life are full of trouble. Only a few people find the narrow gate.

7:15  "Beware of false prophets. They come to you disguised as sheep, but in their hearts they are vicious wolves.

7:16  You will know them by what they produce. "People don't pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles, do they?

7:17  In the same way every good tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree produces bad fruit.

7:18  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit.

7:19  Any tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into a fire.

7:20  So you will know them by what they produce.

7:21  "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants.

7:22  Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we force out demons and do many miracles by the power and authority of your name?'

7:23  Then I will tell them publicly, 'I've never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.'

7:24  "Therefore, everyone who hears what I say and obeys it will be like a wise person who built a house on rock.

7:25  Rain poured, and floods came. Winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not collapse, because its foundation was on rock.

7:26  "Everyone who hears what I say but doesn't obey it will be like a foolish person who built a house on sand.

7:27  Rain poured, and floods came. Winds blew and struck that house. It collapsed, and the result was a total disaster."

7:28  When Jesus finished this speech, the crowds were amazed at his teachings.

7:29  Unlike their scribes, he taught them with authority.