Matthew 7:15

Matthew 7:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
• New International Version (NIV)“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Context of Matthew 7:15

13“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. 14How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes aren’t gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles, are they? 17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the rotten tree produces bad fruit.

Matthew 7:15 word by word

Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Bewareπροσέχωprosechō · to watch outG4337
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• false prophetsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• false prophetsψευδοπροφήτηςpseudoprophētēs · false prophetG5578
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• youσύsu · youG4771
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• sheep’sπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
• clothingἔνδυμαenduma · clothingG1742
• inwardlyἔσωθενesōthen · inwardlyG2081
• they areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• raveningἅρπαξharpax · rapaciousG727
• wolvesλύκοςlukos · wolfG3074

Cross-references for Matthew 7:15

• Matthew 10:17But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues.
• Matthew 16:6“Watch out,” Yeshua said to them, “and beware of the hametz of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
• Mark 12:38In His teaching He said, “Watch out for the Torah scholars, who like to walk around in long robes. They like greetings in the marketplaces,
• Luke 12:15Then He said to them, “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the material goods he possesses.”
• Acts 13:40“Be careful, then, so that what is said in the Prophets may not come upon you:
• Philippians 3:2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation.
• Colossians 2:8See that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men and the basic principles of the world rather than Messiah.
• 2 Peter 3:17Since you already know all this, loved ones, be on your guard so that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your sure footing.
• Matthew 24:4Yeshua answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray!
• Deuteronomy 13:1“Whatever I command you, you must take care to do—you are not to add to it or take away from it.
• Isaiah 9:15The leaders of this people lead them astray. Those they mislead are swallowed up.
• Jeremiah 14:14Then Adonai said to me: “The prophets prophesy lies in My Name! I did not send them, nor commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, divination, futility, a delusion of their heart.”
• Jeremiah 23:13Moreover, I have seen unseemliness in the prophets of Samaria: they prophesied by Baal, and led My people Israel astray.
• Jeremiah 28:15Then said the prophet Jeremiah to the prophet Hananiah: “Hear now, Hananiah! Adonai has not sent you, yet you have caused this people to trust in a lie.
• Jeremiah 29:21thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel, “concerning Ahab son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in My name: I will soon deliver them into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon—and he will slay them before your eyes.
• Ezekiel 13:16the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem and see visions of shalom for her, when there is no shalom.” It is a declaration of Adonai.

Commentaries on Matthew 7:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Beware of false prophets - By false prophets we are to understand teachers of erroneous doctrines, who come professing a commission from God, but whose aim is not to bring the heavenly treasure to the people, but rather to rob them of their earthly good. Teachers who preach for hire, having no motive to enter into the ministry but to get a living, as it is ominously called by some, however they may bear the garb and appearance of the innocent useful…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15False prophets - The word prophet originally means one who foretells future events. As prophets, however, were commonly regarded as public instructors on the subject of religion, the word came to denote all who were religious teachers. See the notes at Romans 12:6. In this sense it is probably used here. A false prophet is a teacher of incorrect doctrine, or one falsely and unjustly laying claims to divine inspiration. It probably had reference to the…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. 15-20False prophets tell people what they want to hear instead of calling them to obey God's will. Deuteronomy 13:1–5 and 18:21–22 provide guidelines to determine if someone is a true prophet. A prophet's words must match with God's word, and a prophet's prophecies must come true. Jesus explains the first rule. A prophet's actions must match his words to be trustworthy. So, a true prophet's actions will also match God's word. In the same way that fruit shows…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Beware--But beware. of false prophets--that is, of teachers coming as authorized expounders of the mind of God and guides to heaven. (See Ac 20:29, 30; 2Pe 2:1, 2). which come to you in sheep's clothing--with a bland, gentle, plausible exterior; persuading you that the gate is not strait nor the way narrow, and that to teach so is illiberal and bigoted--precisely what the old prophets did (Eze 13:1-10, 22). but inwardly they are ravening wolves--bent…Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 7:15

• Commandments
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Religion
• Teachers
• Wolf

In the dictionaries

• False Prophets
• Ask
• Descend
• Destruction
• Gather
• Judge
• Measure
• Mote
• None
• Profess

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