Matthew 7:13-29

The Golden Rule

13 g "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy 1 that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and h the way is hard that leads to life, and i those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 j "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are k ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them l by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, m every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 n Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them l by their fruits.

I Never Knew You

21 o "Not everyone who p says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will q enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who r does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 s On that day t many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not u prophesy in your name, and cast out demons v in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 t And then will I declare to them, 'I w never knew you; x depart from me, y you workers of lawlessness.'

Build Your House on the Rock

24 z "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

The Authority of Jesus

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, b the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 c for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

  1. Cross References
    Luke 13:24
    Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
  2. Cross References
    Psalms 16:11
    You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
    Matthew 18:8
    And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.
    John 14:6
    Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
  3. Cross References
    Luke 13:23
    And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them.
  4. Cross References
    Matthew 24:11
    And many false prophets will arise and lead man...
    Matthew 24:24
    For false christs and false prophets will arise...
    Deuteronomy 13:1 - 3
    If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises amon...
    Jeremiah 14:14
    And the Lord said to me: "The prophets are prop...
    Jeremiah 23:16
    Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Do not listen to ...
    Mark 13:22
    For false christs and false prophets will arise...
    Luke 6:26
    Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, ...
    Acts 13:6
    When they had gone through the whole island as ...
    2 Peter 2:1
    But false prophets also arose among the people,...
    1 John 4:1
    Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test ...
  5. Cross References
    Ezekiel 22:27
    Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain.
    Acts 20:29
    I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
    Micah 3:5
    Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry "Peace" when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.
    John 10:12
    He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
  6. Cross References
    Luke 6:43 - 44
    For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit.
    James 2:18
    But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
  7. Cross References
    Matthew 12:33 - 35
    Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
  8. Cross References
    Matthew 3:10
    Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
  9. Cross References
    Matthew 7:16
    You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
  10. Cross References
    Luke 6:46
    Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?
    Romans 2:13
    For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
    James 1:22
    But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
  11. Cross References
    Hosea 8:2
    To me they cry, "My God, we - Israel - know you.
  12. Cross References
    John 3:3
    Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.
    John 3:5
    Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
  13. Cross References
    Matthew 12:50
    For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.
  14. Cross References
    Matthew 25:11 - 12
    Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.
    Luke 13:25 - 27
    When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.
  15. Cross References
    Malachi 3:17 - 18
    They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.
  16. Cross References
    Numbers 24:4
    The oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:
    John 11:51
    He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.
    1 Corinthians 13:2
    And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
  17. Cross References
    Mark 9:38
    John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.
  18. Cross References
    Matthew 7:22
    On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?
  19. Cross References
    Matthew 10:33
    But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
    Psalms 101:4
    A perverse heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.
  20. Cross References
    Matthew 25:41
    Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
    Psalms 6:8
    Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
  21. Cross References
    Matthew 13:41
    The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers.
    Psalms 5:5
    The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
  22. Cross References
    Matthew 7:24 - 27
    Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
    Luke 6:47 - 49
    Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
  23. Cross References
    Matthew 25:2
    Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
    Ezekiel 13:10 - 14
    Precisely because they have misled my people, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash.
  24. Cross References
    Matthew 7:24 - 27
    Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
    Luke 6:47 - 49
    Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
  25. Cross References
    Matthew 7:24
    Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
  26. Cross References
    Matthew 13:54
    And coming to his hometown he taught them in th...
    Matthew 22:33
    And when the crowd heard it, they were astonish...
    Mark 1:22
    And they were astonished at his teaching, for h...
    Mark 6:2
    And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the syn...
    Mark 11:18
    And the chief priests and the scribes heard it ...
    Luke 4:32
    And they were astonished at his teaching, for h...
    Acts 13:12
    Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what h...
  27. Cross References
    John 7:46
    The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.