Matthew 7: Judging, asking, two gates and two houses
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Greek. How to read a study
What happens?
Jesus teaches about judging others, about asking, seeking and knocking, and about the narrow gate and the wide one. He warns about false prophets who are known by their fruit, says that not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and ends with the house built on rock and the house built on sand. When he finishes, the crowds are astonished that he teaches with authority.
Who is speaking?
No verse is in gold: nothing in this chapter is marked as the Father's own voice. Jesus speaks in verses 1 to 27. In verse 22 he tells what many will say to him on that day, and in verse 23 what he will say to them. Verses 28 and 29 are the narrator's. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.
In plain English: Jesus says: Do not judge (or: condemn), so that you will not be judged.
The Greek word: "Judge" is krinō. The dictionary gives its meanings as to try, to condemn and to punish. In the whole New Testament it is in 99 verses, and this Bible gives "judge" in 78 of them and "condemn" in 5. In Matthew it is in 4 verses: , this verse, and .
What changes: Read as "judge", the verse is about passing judgment. Read as "condemn", it is about declaring someone guilty or punishing. The plain line gives both. has "Don't judge, and you won't be judged. Don't condemn, and you won't be condemned."
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2For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
In plain English: For you will be judged with the same judgment you use to judge, and the measure you use to measure will be used to measure to you.
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3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?
In plain English: Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye?
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4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?
In plain English: Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," when, look, the beam is in your own eye?
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5You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.
In plain English: You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
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6“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
In plain English: Do not give what is holy to the dogs, and do not throw your pearls in front of the pigs. If you do, they might trample them under their feet, then turn and tear you to pieces.
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7“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.
In plain English: Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.
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8For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.
In plain English: For everyone who asks receives. The one who seeks finds. To the one who knocks, it will be opened.
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9Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
In plain English: Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
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10Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?
In plain English: Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
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11If you then, being 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!
In plain English: So if you, though you 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!
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12Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
In plain English: So whatever you want people to do for you, do the same for them, for this is the law and the prophets.
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13“Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it.
In plain English: Go in through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are going in through it.
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14How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it.
In plain English: How narrow is the gate, and the way is restricted (or: pressed in; see the note), that leads to life! Few are finding it.
The Greek word: "Restricted" is tethlimmenē, from thlibō, which the dictionary gives as to crowd. It is a different word from the "narrow" that goes with the gate.
What changes: Read as "restricted", the way allows little room. Read as "pressed in", it is crowded or squeezed. The plain line gives both.
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15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
In plain English: Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves.
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16By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?
In plain English: You will know them by their fruits. Do people gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
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17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.
In plain English: In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt (or: rotten) tree produces evil fruit.
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18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
In plain English: A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot produce good fruit.
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19Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
In plain English: Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
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20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
In plain English: So you will know them by their fruits.
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21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
In plain English: Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven will.
The Greek word: "Lord" is kyrios. The dictionary gives it as one who has authority over others, and as a respectful title, master. In Matthew it is in 76 verses, and this Bible gives "Lord" in 72 of them, "sir" in 3 and "master" in 1.
What changes: The same Greek word is used when someone says "Lord" as a title and when someone says "sir" to a person. In this verse it is repeated, "Lord, Lord", and the text does not say more about what those who say it mean by it.
The Greek word: "The Kingdom of Heaven" is, word for word, "the kingdom of the heavens". "Heaven" is ouranos, which the dictionary gives as the sky, and by that, heaven as the home of God. In Matthew it is in 74 verses, and this Bible gives "heaven" (with "heavens" and "heavenly") in 66 and "sky" in 9. It is the same word as in "the birds of the sky" () and in "your Father who is in heaven".
What changes: Read as "heaven", the Kingdom is named from where God dwells. Read as "sky", it is the Kingdom of the sky or the heavens above. The plain line keeps "Kingdom of Heaven".
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22Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’
In plain English: Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?"
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23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’
In plain English: Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity."
The Greek word: "Iniquity" is anomia. The dictionary gives it as breaking the law, or wickedness. In Matthew it is in 4 verses, this one, , and , and this Bible has "iniquity" in all 4.
Good to know: has words like these: "Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity."
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24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
In plain English: So everyone who hears these words of mine and does them, I will compare to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
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25The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.
In plain English: The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. It did not fall, because it was founded on the rock.
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26Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
In plain English: And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
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27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”
In plain English: The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. It fell, and its fall was great.
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28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,
In plain English: When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
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29for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.
In plain English: because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.
The Greek word: "Authority" is exousia. The dictionary gives it as freedom to act, power, or rule that has been given. In Matthew it is in 9 verses, and this Bible gives "authority" in all 9. In the next chapters it comes back in , and .
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