Don’t Judge Others
Then Jesus turned back to the crowd. He started speaking to them again. He said: I tell you the truth. Don’t judge others. If you do, you will be judged too. You will be judged the same way you judge others. You will be measured the same way you measure others.
Why do you look at the small bit of dirt in your brother’s eye? You don’t think about the big stick in your own eye. How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the dirt out of your eye'? You have a big stick in your own eye. You pretender! First take the big stick out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dirt out of your brother’s eye.
Don’t give holy things to dogs. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs. They will step on them. Then they will turn around and attack you.
Ask God for What You Need
Ask, and you will get it. Look, and you will find it. Knock, and the door will open for you. Everyone who asks will get it. The person who looks will find it. To the person who knocks, the door will open.
What man among you would give his son a stone if he asks for bread? Or if he asks for a fish, would you give him a snake? You are bad, but you still know how to give good gifts to your children. Your Father in heaven will give even better things to those who ask him.
So do to other people what you want them to do to you. This is what the law and the prophets teach.
Two Roads and Two Gates
Go in through the narrow gate. The wide gate and the broad road lead to death. Many people go that way. The narrow gate and the small road lead to life. Only a few people find it.
Watch Out for False Prophets
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep. But inside they are hungry wolves.
You will know them by what they do. People don’t pick grapes from thorn bushes. They don’t pick figs from thistles. Every good tree makes good fruit. But a bad tree makes bad fruit. A good tree cannot make bad fruit. A bad tree cannot make good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t make good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you will know them by what they do.
Do What God Wants
Not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' to me will go into God’s kingdom. Only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants will go in.
Many will say to me on that day: 'Lord, Lord, didn’t we tell people your messages? Didn’t we force out evil spirits using your name? Didn’t we do many amazing things using your name?' Then I will tell them: I never knew you. Go away from me. You do bad things.
Build Your House on a Rock
So everyone who hears what I say and does it is like a wise man. He built his house on a rock. The rain came down. The floods came. The winds blew and hit that house. But it did not fall down. It was built on a rock.
Everyone who hears what I say but doesn’t do it is like a foolish man. He built his house on sand. The rain came down. The floods came. The winds blew and hit that house. It fell down. It was a big crash.
Influences
- 14:2 — Matthew 7:2 (KJV)For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
- 14:2 — Matthew 7:2 (KJV)For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
- 14:3 — Matthew 7:3 (KJV)And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
- 14:4 — Matthew 7:4 (KJV)Or 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?
- 14:5 — Matthew 7:5 (KJV)Thou 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.
- 14:6 — Matthew 7:6 (KJV)Give 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.
- 14:7 — Matthew 7:7 (KJV)Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
- 14:8 — Matthew 7:8 (KJV)For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
- 14:9 — Matthew 7:9 (KJV)Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
- 14:11 — Matthew 7:11 (KJV)If 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?
- 14:12 — Matthew 7:12 (KJV)Therefore 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.
- 14:13 — Matthew 7:13 (KJV)Enter 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:
- 14:14 — Matthew 7:14 (KJV)Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
- 14:15 — Matthew 7:15 (KJV)Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
- 14:16 — Matthew 7:16 (KJV)Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
- 14:17 — Matthew 7:17 (KJV)Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
- 14:18 — Matthew 7:18 (KJV)A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
- 14:19 — Matthew 7:19 (KJV)Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
- 14:21 — Matthew 7:21 (KJV)Not 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.
- 14:22 — Matthew 7:22 (KJV)Many 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?
- 14:23 — Matthew 7:23 (KJV)And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
- 14:24 — Matthew 7:24 (KJV)Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
- 14:25 — Matthew 7:25 (KJV)And 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.
- 14:26 — Matthew 7:26 (KJV)And 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:
- 14:27 — Matthew 7:27 (KJV)And 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.