Matthew 7:17

Matthew 7:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
• New International Version (NIV)Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

Context of Matthew 7:17

15‘Some people say that they are prophets from God. But their words are false. They seem to be like sheep that are not dangerous. But they are really like hungry wild dogs. What they teach will hurt you. 16You will know these people by the way that they live. The things that they do are like their fruit. Grapes do not grow on thorn bushes. Figs do not grow on weeds. Good fruit grows on a tree that is good. Bad fruit grows on a tree that is not good. 18A good tree cannot make bad fruit. A bad tree cannot make good fruit. 19A farmer will cut down any tree that does not make good fruit. He will burn it on a fire.

Matthew 7:17 word by word

οὕτως πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ, τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν δένδρον καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Even soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• treeδένδρονdendron · treeG1186
• bringeth forthποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• fruitκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
• butδέde · thenG1161
• a corruptσαπρόςsapros · rottenG4550
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190

Cross-references for Matthew 7:17

• Psalms 1:3He will become like a tree that grows beside streams of water. It gives its fruit at the right season. Its leaves do not fall off. Everything that person does will have a good result.
• Psalms 92:13They are like trees that someone has planted in the Lord's house. They grow well in the yard of our God's temple.
• Isaiah 5:3So now, listen to me, you people who live in Jerusalem and in Judah. You must be the judge! Who did what was right? Was it me or my vineyard? You decide!
• Isaiah 61:3In that way, the people in Zion who are sad will become strong again. They will not put ashes on their heads any more. Instead, they will wear beautiful hats. Instead of weeping, they will have olive oil to show their joy. They will not feel upset, but they will sing happy songs to praise God. People will call them ‘Strong trees that show God's righteousness’. They will be like trees that the Lord himself has planted to show how great he is.
• Jeremiah 11:19Before that, I did not know about their plans to kill me. I was like a lamb that men were taking away to kill it. I did not know that they were saying, ‘We should cut down this tree and destroy its fruit! Jeremiah must not continue to live in this world. Then people will forget all about him.’
• Jeremiah 17:8They will be like trees that grow beside a river. Their roots reach into the water. When the sun is hot, they are not afraid. Their leaves continue to be green. They give fruit each year, even when there is no rain.
• Luke 13:6Then Jesus told this story. ‘A man had a garden where he grew fruit. He had planted a fig tree there. But when he came to look for fruit on it, he could not find any.
• Galatians 5:22But God's Spirit causes us to live in a different way. We love other people. We are happy and we have peace in our minds. We are patient, kind and good. People can trust us to do what is right.
• Ephesians 5:9The light helps you to live in a way that is good, right and true.
• Philippians 1:11Because of the work that Jesus Christ has done in you, you will be right with God. And your lives will be full of good things. As a result, people will praise God and they will say that he is very great.
• Colossians 1:10Then you will be able to live in a way that the Lord wants you to live. Everything that you do will please him. We pray that all these good things will have good results. We pray that you will know God better and better.
• James 3:17But if God makes you really wise, you will live in a completely good way. That is the most important thing. Also, you will live in a way that brings peace. You will be kind to other people so that they become your friends. You will listen to them and not argue. You will forgive them and do many good things to help them. You will not choose between people. And you will not be a hypocrite.
• Matthew 12:33Then Jesus said, ‘To have good fruit you must have a good tree. If you have a bad tree, then you will get bad fruit from it. You can know all about a tree by the kind of fruit that it makes.
• Jude 1:12When you eat special meals together as believers, those false teachers meet with you. But they are dangerous! They will stop you showing your love for one another. They come only because they want to eat too much. They do not respect God or other people. They only think about themselves and they are not ashamed. They are like clouds that you think will bring rain. But the wind blows those clouds along and there is no rain. They are like trees that have no fruit, even at the time for harvest. People pull trees like that out of the ground. They are completely dead and can give no fruit.

Commentaries on Matthew 7:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17So every good tree - As the thorn can only produce thorns, not grapes; and the thistle, not figs, but prickles; so an unregenerate heart will produce fruits of degeneracy. As we perfectly know that a good tree will not produce bad fruit, and the bad tree will not, cannot produce good fruit, so we know that the profession of godliness, while the life is ungodly, is imposture, hypocrisy, and deceit. A man cannot be a saint and a sinner at the same time. Let…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17A corrupt tree - The word “corrupt” here does not signify, as our translation would seem to indicate, that the tree “had been” good, but had become “vitiated;” but that it was a tree of a useless character, of a nature that produced nothing beneficial.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. 1717. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 7:17

• Botany
• Character
• Commandments
• Depravity of Man
• Religion
• Righteous
• Sin

In the dictionaries

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

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