Matthew 7:7-29

7“12Ask, and 3it will be given to you; 4seek, and you will find; 5knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you 6who, when his son asks for a loaf, 7will give him a stone? 10Or 8if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, 9how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

12“In everything, 10therefore, 11treat people the same way you want 12them to treat you, for 13this is the Law and the Prophets.

13“14Enter 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.

15“Beware of the 15false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are 16ravenous wolves. 16You will 1718know them by their fruits. 19Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17So 20every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 1921Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20So then, you will 22know them 23by their fruits.

21“24Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 2225Many will say to Me on 26that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many 27miracles?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; 28depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

24“Therefore 29everyone who hears these words of Mine and 30acts on them, 31may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25And the rain fell, and the 32floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not 33act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27The rain fell, and the 34floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall.”

283536When Jesus had finished these words, 37the crowds were amazed at His teaching; 29for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.