Matthew 7:17

Matthew 7:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
• New International Version (NIV)Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

Context of Matthew 7:17

15“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. 16You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 7:17 word by word

οὕτως πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ, τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν δένδρον καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Even soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• treeδένδρονdendron · treeG1186
• bringeth forthποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• fruitκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
• butδέde · thenG1161
• a corruptσαπρόςsapros · rottenG4550
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190

Cross-references for Matthew 7:17

• Psalms 1:3He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
• Psalms 92:13Planted in the Lord’s house, they grow in the courts of our God.
• Isaiah 5:3So now, residents of Jerusalem, people of Judah, you decide between me and my vineyard!
• Isaiah 61:3to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor.
• Jeremiah 11:19Before this I had been like a docile lamb ready to be led to the slaughter. I did not know they were making plans to kill me. I did not know they were saying, “Let’s destroy the tree along with its fruit! Let’s remove Jeremiah from the world of the living so people will not even be reminded of him any more.”
• Jeremiah 17:8They will be like a tree planted near a stream whose roots spread out toward the water. It has nothing to fear when the heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It has no need to be concerned in a year of drought. It does not stop bearing fruit.
• Luke 13:6Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
• Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• Ephesians 5:9for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth –
• Philippians 1:11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
• Colossians 1:10so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God,
• James 3:17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical.
• Matthew 12:33“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 known by its fruit.
• Jude 1:12These men are dangerous reefs at your love feasts, feasting without reverence, feeding only themselves. They are waterless clouds, carried along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit – twice dead, uprooted;

Commentaries on Matthew 7:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17So every good tree - As the thorn can only produce thorns, not grapes; and the thistle, not figs, but prickles; so an unregenerate heart will produce fruits of degeneracy. As we perfectly know that a good tree will not produce bad fruit, and the bad tree will not, cannot produce good fruit, so we know that the profession of godliness, while the life is ungodly, is imposture, hypocrisy, and deceit. A man cannot be a saint and a sinner at the same time. Let…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17A corrupt tree - The word “corrupt” here does not signify, as our translation would seem to indicate, that the tree “had been” good, but had become “vitiated;” but that it was a tree of a useless character, of a nature that produced nothing beneficial.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. 16-17Good fruit and bad fruit symbolize moral behavior (see Matthew 3:8, 10; 12:33–37; 13:8; 21:43; Galatians 5:19–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit: but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 7:17

• Botany
• Character
• Commandments
• Depravity of Man
• Religion
• Righteous
• Sin

In the dictionaries

• Ask
• Descend
• Destruction
• Gather
• Judge
• Measure
• Mote
• None
• Profess
• Rock

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