Matthew 7:18-25

7:18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 7:20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.

Judgment of Pretenders

7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ ¹  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 ²  many powerful deeds?’ 7:23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’ ³ 

Hearing and Doing

7:24 “Everyone ⁴  who hears these words of mine and does them is like ⁵  a wise man ⁶  who built his house on rock. 7:25 The rain fell, the flood ⁷  came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock.

[7:21]  ¹ 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.

[7:22]  ¹ tn Grk “and in your name do.” This phrase was not repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[7:23]  ¹ tn Grk “workers of lawlessness.”

[7:24]  ¹ tn Grk “Therefore everyone.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.

[7:24]  ² tn Grk “will be like.” The same phrase occurs in v. 26.

[7:24]  ³ 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.

[7:25]  ¹ tn Grk “the rivers.”