Matthew 7WEB
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Matthew7

World English Bible · Public Domain

1“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.

2For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.

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?

4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?

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.

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.

7“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

8For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

9Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10Or if he asks for a fish, who will 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 desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

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.

14How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it.

15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

16By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?

17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.

18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

19Every tree that doesn’t grow 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,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

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?’

23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

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.

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.

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.

27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”

28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,

29for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Matthew 7.

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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?

Cross References

Matthew 7
v9Luke 11:11-13thematic

Direct parallel teaching on parents giving good gifts, contrasting earthly fathers with our heavenly Father.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin

v24Luke 6:47-49thematic

The direct parallel parable of the wise and foolish builders on rock and sand.

Supported by Matthew Henry, John Calvin

v1Luke 6:37thematic

Luke's parallel on judging, being judged, and the call to show mercy.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Luke 6:41thematic

Direct Luke parallel to the illustration of the mote and the beam in the eye.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1James 2:13thematic

Confirms that judgment without mercy is shown to those who show no mercy.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v12Luke 6:31thematic

Direct Lukan parallel for the Golden Rule.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v13Luke 13:24thematic

Parallel exhortation to strive to enter through the narrow, strait gate.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v16Matthew 12:33thematic

Jesus repeats this exact criteria: a tree is known and judged by its fruit.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v23Luke 13:27thematic

Direct parallel of the Lord saying, 'I know you not whence ye are; depart'.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v27Ezekiel 13:10-16allusion

Prophetic imagery of a wall built with untempered mortar collapsing in a violent storm.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v2Luke 6:38thematic

Lukan parallel of the proverbial standard: the measure you use is measured back.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v6Matthew 15:26allusion

Jesus uses similar terminology contrasting children's bread with what is given to dogs.

Supported by John Calvin

v19Matthew 3:10thematic

Echoes John the Baptist's identical warning of unfruitful trees cast into the fire.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v28Mark 1:22thematic

Parallel describing the crowd's astonishment at His authority, unlike the scribes.

Supported by Matthew Poole