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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what person is there among you 6who, when his son asks for a loaf of bread, 7will give him a stone? 10Or 8if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11So if you, despite being 9evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, 10how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

12“In everything, 11therefore, 12treat people the same way you want 13them to treat you, for 14this is the Law and the Prophets.

13“15Enter 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 narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

15“Beware of the 16false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are 17ravenous wolves. 16You will 1819know them by their fruits. 20Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17So 21every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 1922Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20So then, you will 23know them 24by their fruits.

21“25Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 2226Many will say to Me on 27that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many 28miracles?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; 29leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

24“Therefore, 30everyone who hears these words of Mine, and 31acts on them, will be like 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. 26And everyone 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. 27And the rain fell and the 34floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and its collapse was great.”

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