God’s Word Translation
Matthew 12:33
33“Make a tree good, and then its fruit will be good. Or make a tree rotten, and then its fruit will be rotten. A person can recognize a tree by its fruit.
Matthew 12:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
- New International Version (NIV)“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
Context of Matthew 12:33
31So I can guarantee that people will be forgiven for any sin or cursing. However, cursing the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this world or the next. “Make a tree good, and then its fruit will be good. Or make a tree rotten, and then its fruit will be rotten. A person can recognize a tree by its fruit. 34You poisonous snakes! How can you evil people say anything good? Your mouth says what comes from inside you. 35Good people do the good things that are in them. But evil people do the evil things that are in them.
Read all of Matthew 12Matthew 12:33 word by word
Ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον καλὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ καλόν, ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον σαπρὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ σαπρόν· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον γινώσκεται.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Eitherἤē · orG2228
- makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- the treeὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the treeδένδρονdendron · treeG1186
- goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- fruitκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
- corruptσαπρόςsapros · rottenG4550
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- is knownγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
Cross-references for Matthew 12:33
- Matthew 23:26You blind Pharisees! First clean the inside of the cups and dishes so that the outside may also be clean.
- Ezekiel 18:31Stop all the rebellious things that you are doing. Get yourselves new hearts and new spirits. Why do you want to die, nation of Israel?
- Amos 5:15Hate evil and love good. Then you will be able to have justice in your courts. Maybe the Lord God of Armies will have pity on the faithful few of Joseph.
- Luke 11:39The Lord said to him, “You Pharisees clean the outside of cups and dishes. But inside you are full of greed and evil.
- James 4:8Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners, and clear your minds, you doubters.
- Matthew 3:8Do those things that prove you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act.
- Matthew 7:16You will know them by what they produce. “People don’t pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles, do they?
- Luke 3:9The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”
- Luke 6:43“A good tree doesn’t produce rotten fruit, and a rotten tree doesn’t produce good fruit.
- John 15:4Live in me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in me.
- James 3:12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? In the same way, a pool of salt water can’t produce fresh water.
Commentaries on Matthew 12:33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33Either make the tree good - That is, the effect will be always similar to the cause; a bad tree will produce bad fruit, and a good tree, good fruit. The works will resemble the heart: nothing good can proceed from an evil spirit; no good fruit can proceed from a corrupt heart. Before the heart of man can produce any good, it must be renewed and influenced by the Spirit of God.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33Either make - The fact asserted in this verse is, that a tree is known, not by its leaves, or bark, or form, but by its fruit. The application to the argument is this: “You are to judge of man‘s being in league with Satan by his works. If my doctrines and works be properly the works of Satan, then I am corrupt; if not, then your charge is blasphemy. So, on the other hand, if, notwithstanding your professions, your works are the works of the devil, and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 33-37Verses 33-37 Men's language discovers what country they are of, likewise what manner of spirit they are of. The heart is the fountain, words are the streams. A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send forth muddy and unpleasant streams. Nothing but the salt of grace, cast into the spring, will heal the waters, season the speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An evil man has an evil treasure in his heart, and out of it brings forth evil…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33-37Jesus addressed the main issue. The Pharisees did not accept him or believe his work came from God because they were wicked (see 7:15–27).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3333. Either make the tree good, &c.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 12:33
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 12
- 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
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