Matthew

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

1Do not judge other people, or you will be judged the same way.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

2The way you judge others is the way you will be judged. The measure you use will be used on you.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

3Why do you stare at the speck of sawdust in another person's eye, and not notice the plank in your own eye?

4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

4How can you say to someone, "Let me take that speck out of your eye," when a plank is stuck in your own?

5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

5You pretender! First take the plank out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the speck out of the other person's eye.

6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

6Do not give holy things to dogs, and do not throw your pearls to pigs. They will only trample them and then turn and attack you.

7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

7Ask, and it will be given to you. Look, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

8Everyone who asks receives. Everyone who looks finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.

9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

9If your son asked you for bread, would you hand him a stone instead?

10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

10Or if he asked you for a fish, would you hand him a snake?

11If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

11You are not even good, yet you know how to give good gifts to your children. Your Father in heaven will give far better things to those who ask him.

12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

12So in everything, treat other people the way you want them to treat you. This is what the law and the prophets are all about.

13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

13Go in through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to ruin, and many people go that way.

NoteThe KJV word "strait" means narrow or tight. It has nothing to do with "straight," which is spelled differently and means not crooked.

14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

14But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to life, and only a few people find it.

15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

15Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are hungry wolves.

16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

16You will know them by the fruit they produce. Nobody picks grapes off thornbushes or figs off thistles.

17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

17In the same way, every good tree grows good fruit, but a bad tree grows bad fruit.

18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

18A good tree cannot grow bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot grow good fruit.

19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

19Every tree that does not grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

20So then, you will know these people by the fruit they produce.

21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

21Not everyone who calls me "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants.

22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

22On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, didn't we speak for you? Didn't we drive out demons and do miracles in your name?"

Note"Wonderful works" in the KJV means miracles, not simply works that are nice or impressive.

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

23Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Get away from me, you who do wrong."

24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

24So everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.

25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

25The rain poured down, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. It did not fall, because it was built on rock.

26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

27The rain poured down, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house. It fell, and it came down with a crash.

28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

28When Jesus had finished saying all this, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.

29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

29He taught them like someone with real authority, not like their scribes.

NoteScribes were teachers who copied and studied the law. They taught mostly by quoting what earlier teachers had said.