7Verse 1“Do not judge, so that you be not judged.+Verse 2Because with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.+Verse 3So why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye?Verse 4Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ when hey, there is a plank in yours?Verse 5Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.+
Analyze your audience
Verse 6“A Do not give what is holy to the dogs, B nor cast your pearls before the pigs; B lest they trample them with their feet, and A turning around they tear you to pieces.+
Be persistent, yet considerate
Verse 7“Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and it will be opened to you.Verse 8For each one asking, receives; and the one seeking, finds; and to the one knocking it will be opened.Verse 9Or which man is among you who, if his son asks for bread will give him a stone?Verse 10Or if he asks for a fish will give him a snake?Verse 11If you then, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those who ask Him!+Verse 12So then, whatever you want people to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.+
Eternal destiny
Verse 13“Go in through the narrow gate; because wide is the gate and broad is the way which leads away into perdition, and those who are going in through it are many.Verse 14How narrow is the gate and confined the way which leads away into life, and those who are finding it are few!+
A tree is known by its fruit
Verse 15“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.+Verse 16You will know them by their fruits. Do people gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?Verse 17Just so, every good tree produces good fruits, but the rotten tree produces evil fruits.+Verse 18A good tree cannot produce evil fruits, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruits.Verse 19So every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.+Verse 20Therefore, you will know them by their fruits.
We have to do the Father's will
Verse 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will go into the kingdom of the heavens, but he who does the will of my Father who is in the heavens.+Verse 22Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and perform many mighty works in Your name?’Verse 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me you practitioners of lawlessness!’+
All face adversity—foundation determines outcome
Verse 24“Therefore whoever hears these words of mine and does them, I will compare him to a prudent man who built his house on the bedrock;Verse 25and the rain fell, and the rivers rose, and the winds blew and attacked that house; and it did not fall, because it was founded on the bedrock.Verse 26But every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand;Verse 27and the rain fell, and the rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall!”+
Editorial comment
Verse 28And so it was, when Jesus had ended these words, that the crowds were astonished at His teaching,Verse 29for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not like the scribes.+