Matthew 7:21-26

Judgment of Pretenders

7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 7:22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ 7:23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’

Hearing and Doing

7:24 “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 7:25 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock. 7:26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.


sn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.

tn Grk “and in your name do.” This phrase was not repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

tn Grk “workers of lawlessness.”

tn Grk “Therefore everyone.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.

tn Grk “will be like.” The same phrase occurs in v. 26.

tn Here and in v. 26 the Greek text reads ἀνήρ (anhr), while the parallel account in Luke 6:47-49 uses ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") in vv. 48 and 49.

tn Grk “the rivers.”