Chapter 7
29 verses — switch translations with the toolbar below.
Scripture
KJV1Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine 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?
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.
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.
7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
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?
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.
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:
14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
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.
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?
23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
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:
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.
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:
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.
28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
“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.”
Overview
Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with teachings on judging others, the generosity of God in answering prayer, and the narrow gate that leads to life. He warns against false prophets, declaring that they will be known by their fruits, and closes with the parable of the wise and foolish builders — emphasizing that true discipleship means not only hearing His words but doing them.
Key Themes
Discernment Without Hypocrisy
Jesus calls His followers to examine their own hearts before correcting others, replacing self-righteous judgment with humble, honest discernment.
The Narrow Way
The narrow gate and difficult path remind us that following Christ is a costly, deliberate choice that few will make — but it alone leads to life.
Building on the Rock
The parable of the two builders illustrates that hearing Jesus' words without obeying them leads to catastrophic ruin, while obedience creates an unshakeable foundation.
Study Questions
What is the difference between the kind of judging Jesus forbids and the discernment He commands later in the chapter regarding false prophets?
How does the promise 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find' relate to the context of the Sermon on the Mount as a whole?
Why does Jesus describe the way to life as narrow and the way to destruction as broad, and what makes the narrow way so difficult?
How can you identify false prophets by their fruits, and what kinds of 'fruit' should you be looking for?
In what areas of your life might you be hearing Jesus' words without actually building on them — and what would it take to become a wise builder?
Connection to Christ
Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with absolute authority — He is the rock on which all of life must be built. The crowds recognize that He teaches not as the scribes but as one having authority, because He speaks as God Himself. He is both the narrow gate and the way of life, the judge of true and false prophets, and the foundation that will never be shaken.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Matthew 7. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?