Focused Passage

Matthew 7:15-23

Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder

Matthew moves from humble judgment and self-examination, to prayerful dependence on the Father, to the Golden Rule, then to urgent warnings about the narrow way, false prophets, empty profession, and the need to build on Jesus' words.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

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

20 So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

Beware Προσέχετε G4337 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural of ἀπὸ G575 Preposition - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural false prophets ψευδοπροφητῶν G5578 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural [They] οἵτινες G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural come ἔρχονται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural to πρὸς G4314 Preposition you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition sheep’s προβάτων G4263 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural clothing ἐνδύμασιν G1742 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural but δέ G1161 Conjunction inwardly ἔσωθεν G2081 Adverb they are εἰσιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural ravenous ἅρπαγες G727 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural wolves λύκοι G3074 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Verse 16

Original words

By ἀπὸ G575 Preposition - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural fruit καρπῶν G2590 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural you will recognize ἐπιγνώσεσθε G1921 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural them αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - μήτι G3385 IntPrtcl Are grapes gathered συλλέγουσιν G4816 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural . . . σταφυλὰς G4718 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition thornbushes ἀκανθῶν G173 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural or G2228 Conjunction figs σῦκα G4810 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition thistles τριβόλων G5146 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 17

Original words

Likewise οὕτως G3779 Adverb every πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular good ἀγαθὸν G18 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular tree δένδρον G1186 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular bears ποιεῖ G4160 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular good καλοὺς G2570 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural fruit καρποὺς G2590 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural - τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction a bad σαπρὸν G4550 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular tree δένδρον G1186 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular bears ποιεῖ G4160 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular bad πονηροὺς G4190 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural fruit καρποὺς G2590 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 18

Original words

[A] good ἀγαθὸν G18 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular tree δένδρον G1186 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular cannot δύναται G1410 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular . . . οὐ G3756 Adverb bear ποιεῖν* G4160 Verb - Present Infinitive Active bad πονηροὺς G4190 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural fruit καρποὺς G2590 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural [and a] bad σαπρὸν G4550 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular tree δένδρον G1186 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular cannot οὐδὲ G3761 Conjunction bear ποιεῖν* G4160 Verb - Present Infinitive Active good καλοὺς G2570 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural fruit καρποὺς G2590 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 19

Original words

Every πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular tree δένδρον G1186 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb that does not bear ποιοῦν G4160 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Neuter Singular good καλὸν G2570 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular fruit καρπὸν G2590 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular is cut down ἐκκόπτεται G1581 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction thrown βάλλεται G906 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular into εἰς G1519 Preposition [the] fire πῦρ G4442 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 20

Original words

So then ἄρα¦γε G686 Particle by ἀπὸ G575 Preposition - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural fruit καρπῶν G2590 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural you will recognize ἐπιγνώσεσθε G1921 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural them αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 21

Original words

Not Οὐ G3756 Adverb everyone πᾶς G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular says λέγων G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular to Me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular will enter εἰσελεύσεται G1525 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular kingdom βασιλείαν G932 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural heaven οὐρανῶν G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural but only ἀλλ’ G235 Conjunction he who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular does ποιῶν G4160 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular will θέλημα G2307 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular Father Πατρός G3962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural heaven οὐρανοῖς G3772 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 22

Original words

Many πολλοὶ G4183 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural will say ἐροῦσίν G2046 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to Me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular on ἐν G1722 Preposition that ἐκείνῃ G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular day ἡμέρᾳ G2250 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular did we not prophesy ἐπροφητεύσαμεν G4395 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural . . . οὐ G3756 Adverb in τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular Your σῷ G4674 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 2nd Person Singular name ὀνόματι G3686 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [in] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular Your σῷ G4674 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 2nd Person Singular name ὀνόματι G3686 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular drive out ἐξεβάλομεν G1544 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural demons δαιμόνια G1140 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular - σῷ G4674 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 2nd Person Singular - ὀνόματι G3686 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular perform ἐποιήσαμεν G4160 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural many πολλὰς G4183 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural miracles δυνάμεις G1411 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Verse 23

Original words

- καὶ G2532 Conjunction Then τότε G5119 Adverb I will tell them plainly ὁμολογήσω G3670 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction I never knew ἔγνων G1097 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular . . . Οὐδέποτε G3763 Adverb you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural depart ἀποχωρεῖτε G672 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural from ἀπ’ G575 Preposition Me ἐμοῦ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular [you] οἱ G3588 Article - Vocative Masculine Plural workers ἐργαζόμενοι G2038 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Vocative Masculine Plural - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular of lawlessness ἀνομίαν G458 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.