Matthew 7:16

Matthew 7:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
• New International Version (NIV)By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
• English Standard Version (ESV)You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
• New King James Version (NKJV)You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

Context of Matthew 7:16

14But small is the gate and narrow and difficult to travel is the path that leads the way to [everlasting] life, and there are few who find it. 15“Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

Matthew 7:16 word by word

ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς. μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλάς, ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ye shall knowἐπιγινώσκωepiginōskō · to come to knowG1921
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• byἀπόapo · away fromG575
• fruitsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fruitsκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
• Doμήτιmēti · surely notG3385
• men gatherσυλλέγωsullegō · to collectG4816
• grapesσταφυλήstaphulē · grapesG4718
• thornsἄκανθαakantha · a thornG173
• orἤē · orG2228
• figsσῦκονsukon · figG4810
• thistlesτρίβολοςtribolos · thistleG5146

Cross-references for Matthew 7:16

• Matthew 7:20Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].
• Matthew 12:33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is recognized and judged by its fruit.
• 2 Peter 2:10and especially those who indulge in the corrupt passions of the sin nature, and despise authority. Presumptuous and reckless, self-willed and arrogant [creatures, despising the majesty of the Lord], they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,
• Jude 1:10But these men sneer at anything which they do not understand; and whatever they do know by [mere] instinct, like unreasoning and irrational beasts—by these things they are destroyed.
• Luke 6:43For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.
• James 3:12Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

Commentaries on Matthew 7:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits - Fruits, in the Scripture and Jewish phraseology, are taken for works of any kind. "A man's works," says one, "are the tongue of his heart, and tell honestly whether he is inwardly corrupt or pure." By these works you may distinguish ( ) these ravenous wolves from true pastors. The judgment formed of a man by his general conduct is a safe one: if the judgment be not favorable to the person, that is his fault, as you…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits - The Saviour gives the proper test of their character. People do not judge of a tree by its leaves, or bark, or flowers, but by the fruit which it bears. The flowers may be beautiful and fragrant, the foliage thick and green; but these are merely ornamental. It is the “fruit” that is of chief service to man; and he forms his opinion of the nature and value of the tree by that fruit. So of pretensions to religion. The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 Nothing so much prevents men from entering the strait gate, and becoming true followers of Christ, as the carnal, soothing, flattering doctrines of those who oppose the truth. They may be known by the drift and effects of their doctrines. Some part of their temper and conduct is contrary to the mind of Christ. Those opinions come not from God that lead to sin.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17Good fruit and bad fruit symbolize moral behavior (see Matthew 3:8, 10; 12:33–37; 13:8; 21:43; Galatians 5:19–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Ye shall know them by their fruits--not their doctrines--as many of the elder interpreters and some later ones explain it--for that corresponds to the tree itself; but the practical effect of their teaching, which is the proper fruit of the tree. Do men gather grapes of thorns--any kind of prickly plant. or figs of thistles?--a three-pronged variety. The general sense is obvious--Every tree bears its own fruit.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 7:16

• Botany
• Commandments
• Religion
• Righteous
• Thistle

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Brier
• Descend
• Destruction
• Gather
• Judge
• Measure
• Mote
• None
• Profess

Commentaries on Matthew 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings