Matthew 7

AUV(i) 1 “Do not pass [condemning] judgment [on other people] so that you do not receive such judgment [on yourselves]. 2 For the way you judge [other people] is the way you [yourselves] will be judged. And the standard you use [for dealing] with others is the standard that they [and God] will use on you. 3 And why do you look for the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye but ignore the board in your own eye? 4 Or, how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take that speck of sawdust out of your eye,’ while there is a board in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, take the board out of your own eye first; and then you will be able to see clearly enough to take the speck of sawdust out of your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not offer sacred things to dogs, and do not throw your pearls in front of [wild] pigs [i.e., to those who will not appreciate them], because they will probably trample on them with their feet and then turn around and attack you. 7 “Ask [God for something] and it will be given to you; look [to God for something] and you will find it; knock [on the door of opportunity] and it will be opened up to you. 8 For every person who asks will [certainly] receive; and the one who looks will [certainly] find; and to the person who knocks, the door will [certainly] be opened. 9 Or, what person among you would give his son a stone if he asked you for a piece of bread? 10 Or who would give him a snake if he asked you for a fish? 11 If then you know how to give good gifts to your children, even though you are sinful [human beings], how much more [likely] is it that your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him? 12 Therefore, everything that you would like people to do to you, do [these things] to them also. For this is [what is required by] the law of Moses and the prophets. 13 “You should enter [God’s kingdom] by means of the narrow door, for the wide door and the broad road are the ones that lead to [spiritual and physical] destruction. And many people will enter [that wide door]. 14 But the door that is narrow and the road that is restricted lead to [spiritual] life and [only] a few people will find them. 15 “Look out for deceiving prophets, who approach you wearing sheep’s clothing, but who are [actually] starving wolves in their hearts. 16 You can recognize them by their fruit [i.e., by what their lives produce]. Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistle weeds? 17 In a similar way, every healthy tree produces wholesome fruit; but a diseased tree produces [only] bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot produce bad fruit and neither can a diseased tree produce wholesome fruit. 19 Every tree that does not produce wholesome fruit should be chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore, you will recognize them [i.e., prophets] by their fruit [i.e., by what their lives produce]. 21 “Not every person who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but [only] that person who does what my Father in heaven requires. 22 Many persons will say to me on the [judgment] day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by [the authority of] your name, and drive out evil spirits and perform many powerful [supernatural] deeds by your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never acknowledged you [as my people]; go away from me, you people who have done sinful things.’ 24 “Every person therefore, who hears these words of mine and obeys them will be like the sensible person who built his house on a [foundation of] rock. 25 The [heavy] rains came down and the flood waters rose and the winds blew and beat down on that house, but it did not collapse, for it was [built] on a foundation of rock. 26 And every person who hears these words of mine but does not obey them will be like the foolish person who built his house on [a foundation of] sand. 27 And the [heavy] rains came down and the flood waters rose and the winds blew and struck against that house [until] it collapsed with a terrible crash.” 28 And so it happened when Jesus had finished [speaking] these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 for he taught like a person who had authority, instead of like their experts in the law of Moses.