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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Context of Matthew 7:15

13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad 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

• “Bewareπροσέχωprosechō · to watch outG4337
• falseψευδοπροφήτηςpseudoprophētēs · false prophetG5578
• whoὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• clothingἔνδυμαenduma · clothingG1742
• but inwardlyἔσωθενesōthen · inwardlyG2081
• ravenousἅρπαξharpax · rapaciousG727
• wolvesλύκοςlukos · wolfG3074

Cross-references for Matthew 7:15

• Matthew 10:17But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;
• Matthew 16:6And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
• Mark 12:38In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places,
• Luke 12:15Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
• Acts 13:40Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:
• Philippians 3:2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
• Colossians 2:8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
• 2 Peter 3:17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness,
• Matthew 24:4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
• 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 head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail.
• Jeremiah 14:14Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.
• Jeremiah 23:13“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.
• Jeremiah 28:15Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, 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 concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, ‘Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes.
• Ezekiel 13:16along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is 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