Matthew 7:18

Matthew 7:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
• New International Version (NIV)A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

Context of Matthew 7:18

16You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

Matthew 7:18 word by word

οὐ δύναται δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖν οὐδὲ δένδρον σαπρὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• A goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• treeδένδρονdendron · treeG1186
• ·οὐou · noG3756
• cannotδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• bring forthποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• fruitκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
• neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• a corruptσαπρόςsapros · rottenG4550
• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570

Cross-references for Matthew 7:18

• Galatians 5:17The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
• 1 John 3:9Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

Commentaries on Matthew 7:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit - Love to God and man is the root of the good tree; and from this principle all its fruit is found. To teach, as some have done, that a state of salvation may be consistent with the greatest crimes, (such as murder and adultery in David), or that the righteous necessarily sin in all their best works, is really to make the good tree bring forth bad fruit, and to give the lie to the Author of eternal truth.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. 18Spiritual rebirth is essential to produce the good actions that Jesus demands. Good works come from faith, and they are inseparable (see James 2:14–26).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit--Obvious as is the truth here expressed in different forms--that the heart determines and is the only proper interpreter of the actions of our life--no one who knows how the Church of Rome makes a merit of actions, quite apart from the motives that prompt them, and how the same tendency manifests itself from time to time even among Protestant Christians, can…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 7:18

• Botany
• Commandments
• 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