Matthew7
New King James Version
1“Judge not, that you be not judged.
2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
5Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.
7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
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!
12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
24“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
27and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
28And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching,
29for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Matthew 7.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Christ reproves rash judgment. (1–6). Encouragements to prayer. (7–11). The broad and narrow way. (12–14). Against false prophets. (15–20). To be doers of the word, not hearers only. (21–29).
vv1-6
We must judge ourselves, and judge of our own acts, but not make our word a law to everybody. We must not judge rashly, nor pass judgment upon our brother without any ground. We must not make the worst of people. Here is a just reproof to those who quarrel with their brethren for small faults, while they allow themselves in greater ones. Some sins are as motes, while others are as beams; some as a gnat, others as a camel. Not that there is any sin little; if it be a mote, or splinter, it is in the eye; if a gnat, it is in the throat; both are painful and dangerous, and we cannot be easy or well till they are got out. That which charity teaches us to call but a splinter in our brother's eye, true repentance and godly sorrow will teach us to call a beam in our own. It is as strange that a man can be in a sinful, miserable condition, and not be aware of it, as that a man should have a beam in his eye, and not consider it; but the god of this world blinds their minds. Here is a good rule for reprovers; first reform thyself.
vv7-11
Prayer is the appointed means for obtaining what we need. Pray; pray often; make a business of prayer, and be serious and earnest in it. Ask, as a beggar asks alms. Ask, as a traveller asks the way. Seek, as for a thing of value that we have lost; or as the merchantman that seeks goodly pearls. Knock, as he that desires to enter into the house knocks at the door. Sin has shut and barred the door against us; by prayer we knock. Whatever you pray for, according to the promise, shall be given you, if God see it fit for you, and what would you have more? This is made to apply to all that pray aright; every one that asketh receiveth, whether Jew or Gentile, young or old, rich or poor, high or low, master or servant, learned or unlearned, all are alike welcome to the throne of grace, if they come in faith. It is explained by a comparison taken from earthly parents, and their readiness to give their children what they ask. Parents are often foolishly fond, but God is all-wise; he knows what we need, what we desire, and what is fit for us. Let us never suppose our heavenly Father would bid us pray, and then refuse to hear, or give us what would be hurtful.
vv12-14
Christ came to teach us, not only what we are to know and believe, but what we are to do; not only toward God, but toward men; not only toward those of our party and persuasion, but toward men in general, all with whom we have to do. We must do that to our neighbour which we ourselves acknowledge to be fit and reasonable. We must, in our dealings with men, suppose ourselves in the same case and circumstances with those we have to do with, and act accordingly. There are but two ways right and wrong, good and evil; the way to heaven and the way to hell; in the one or other of these all are walking: there is no middle place hereafter, no middle way now. All the children of men are saints or sinners, godly or ungodly. See concerning the way of sin and sinners, that the gate is wide, and stands open. You may go in at this gate with all your lusts about you; it gives no check to appetites or passions. It is a broad way; there are many paths in it; there is choice of sinful ways. There is a large company in this way. But what profit is there in being willing to go to hell with others, because they will not go to heaven with us? The way to eternal life is narrow. We are not in heaven as soon as we are got through the strait gate. Self must be denied, the body kept under, and corruptions mortified. Daily temptations must be resisted; duties must be done. We must watch in all things, and walk with care; and we must go through much tribulation. And yet this way should invite us all; it leads to life: to present comfort in the favour of God, which is the life of the soul; to eternal bliss, the hope of which at the end of our way, should make all the difficulties of the road easy to us. This plain declaration of Christ has been disregarded by many who have taken pains to explain it away; but in all ages the real disciple of Christ has been looked on as a singular, unfashionable character; and all that have sided with the greater number, have gone on in the broad road to destruction. If we would serve God, we must be firm in our religion. Can we often hear of the strait gate and the narrow way, and how few there are that find it, without being in pain for ourselves, or considering whether we are entered on the narrow way, and what progress we are making in it?
Key Words
κρίνω (krínō): by implication, to try, condemn, punish
μή (mḗ): (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 (οὐ) expects an affirmative one)) whether
ἵνα μή (hína mḗ): in order (or so) that not
ἐν (en): "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
ὅς (hós): the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that
γάρ (gár): properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles)
κρίμα (kríma): a decision (the function or the effect, for or against ("crime"))
καί (kaí): and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
μέτρον (métron): a measure ("metre"), literally or figuratively; by implication, a limited portion (degree)
μετρέω (metréō): to measure (i.e. ascertain in size by a fixed standard); by implication, to admeasure (i.e. allot by rule)
Cross References
Matthew 7Direct parallel teaching on parents giving good gifts, contrasting earthly fathers with our heavenly Father.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
The direct parallel parable of the wise and foolish builders on rock and sand.
Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin
Luke's parallel on judging, being judged, and the call to show mercy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct Luke parallel to the illustration of the mote and the beam in the eye.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms that judgment without mercy is shown to those who show no mercy.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct Lukan parallel for the Golden Rule.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel exhortation to strive to enter through the narrow, strait gate.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jesus repeats this exact criteria: a tree is known and judged by its fruit.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct parallel of the Lord saying, 'I know you not whence ye are; depart'.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Prophetic imagery of a wall built with untempered mortar collapsing in a violent storm.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Lukan parallel of the proverbial standard: the measure you use is measured back.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jesus uses similar terminology contrasting children's bread with what is given to dogs.
Supported by John Calvin
Echoes John the Baptist's identical warning of unfruitful trees cast into the fire.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel describing the crowd's astonishment at His authority, unlike the scribes.
Supported by Matthew Poole