Matthew 7:15

Matthew 7:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
• New International Version (NIV)“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

Context of Matthew 7:15

13"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

Matthew 7:15 word by word

Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Bewareπροσέχωprosechō · to watch outG4337
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• false prophetsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• false prophetsψευδοπροφήτηςpseudoprophētēs · false prophetG5578
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• youσύsu · youG4771
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• sheep’sπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
• clothingἔνδυμαenduma · clothingG1742
• inwardlyἔσωθενesōthen · inwardlyG2081
• they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• raveningἅρπαξharpax · rapaciousG727
• wolvesλύκοςlukos · wolfG3074

Cross-references for Matthew 7:15

• Matthew 10:17Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,
• Matthew 16:6Jesus said to them, "Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
• Mark 12:38And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces
• Luke 12:15And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
• Acts 13:40Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:
• Philippians 3:2Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
• Colossians 2:8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
• 2 Peter 3:17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
• Matthew 24:4And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray.
• Deuteronomy 13:1"If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
• Isaiah 9:15the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail;
• Jeremiah 14:14And the Lord said to me: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.
• Jeremiah 23:13In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.
• Jeremiah 28:15And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.
• Jeremiah 29:21'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes.
• Ezekiel 13:16the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her, when there was no peace, declares the Lord God.

Commentaries on Matthew 7:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Beware of false prophets - By false prophets we are to understand teachers of erroneous doctrines, who come professing a commission from God, but whose aim is not to bring the heavenly treasure to the people, but rather to rob them of their earthly good. Teachers who preach for hire, having no motive to enter into the ministry but to get a living, as it is ominously called by some, however they may bear the garb and appearance of the innocent useful…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15False prophets - The word prophet originally means one who foretells future events. As prophets, however, were commonly regarded as public instructors on the subject of religion, the word came to denote all who were religious teachers. See the notes at Romans 12:6. In this sense it is probably used here. A false prophet is a teacher of incorrect doctrine, or one falsely and unjustly laying claims to divine inspiration. It probably had reference to 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. 15-20False prophets tell people what they want to hear instead of calling them to obey God's will. Deuteronomy 13:1–5 and 18:21–22 provide guidelines to determine if someone is a true prophet. A prophet's words must match with God's word, and a prophet's prophecies must come true. Jesus explains the first rule. A prophet's actions must match his words to be trustworthy. So, a true prophet's actions will also match God's word. In the same way that fruit shows…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Beware--But beware. of false prophets--that is, of teachers coming as authorized expounders of the mind of God and guides to heaven. (See Ac 20:29, 30; 2Pe 2:1, 2). which come to you in sheep's clothing--with a bland, gentle, plausible exterior; persuading you that the gate is not strait nor the way narrow, and that to teach so is illiberal and bigoted--precisely what the old prophets did (Eze 13:1-10, 22). but inwardly they are ravening wolves--bent…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 7:15

• Commandments
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Religion
• Teachers
• Wolf

In the dictionaries

• False Prophets
• Ask
• 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