New King James Version
Matthew 12:33
33“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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.
Context of Matthew 12:33
31“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. “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. 34Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
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 23:26Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
- Ezekiel 18:31Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
- Amos 5:15Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
- Luke 11:39Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.
- James 4:8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Matthew 3:8Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,
- Matthew 7:16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
- Luke 3:9And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
- Luke 6:43“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
- John 15:4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
- James 3:12Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries