Matthew 7

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

1Do not judge other people. If you do, you will be judged too.

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 amount you measure out to others will be measured back to 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 look at the tiny speck in your brother's eye? You do not notice the big plank of wood in your own eye.

NoteThe old word "mote" means a tiny speck, like a bit of sawdust. "Beam" means a big piece of wood, like a plank from a roof.

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 your brother, "Let me take that speck out of your eye"? All the while there is a plank in your own eye.

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 are a pretender, someone who acts better than he really is. First take the plank out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother'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. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. They will only step on them. Then they will 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 for 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. The door is opened for everyone who knocks.

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

9Think about it. If your son asks you for bread, will you hand him a stone?

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

10Or if he asks you for a fish, will 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?

11Even you do wrong things, yet you know how to give good gifts to your children. So your Father in heaven will surely give good things to people 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.

12Treat other people the way you want them to treat you. This is what God's law and the prophets teach. Prophets were men who told people what God said.

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 other gate is wide and its road is broad. That road leads to ruin, and many people go that way.

NoteThe old word "strait" here means narrow. It does not mean "straight."

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. 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, people who claim to speak for God but do not. They come to you looking gentle, like sheep. 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 grow. Grapes do not grow on thorn bushes. Figs do not grow on prickly weeds.

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. 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. 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. It is thrown into the fire.

20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

20So you will know these people by the fruit they grow.

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 come into the kingdom of heaven. Only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants will come in.

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! We spoke messages from you. We drove out evil spirits in your name. We did many great works in your name."

Note"Devils" in the old wording means evil spirits. "Wonderful works" means amazing things that only God's power can do.

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. Go away from me. You are people who do what is 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 anyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man. That man built his house on solid 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 water rose high. The winds blew and beat on 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 anyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man. That man 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 water rose high. The winds blew and beat on that house. The house fell, and it fell with a great crash.

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

28When Jesus finished saying these things, 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 who had real authority. He did not teach like the scribes, the men who copied and taught God's law.