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Gospels · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Matthew 7

Jesus is presented as Messiah and teacher who fulfills Scripture and announces God's kingdom.

New Testament

Matthew 7

1“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.

2For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.

3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?

4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?

5You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

7“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

8For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

9Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?

11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

13“Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it.

14How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it.

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

16By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?

17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.

18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

19Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’

23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”

28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,

29for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Jesus is presented as Messiah and teacher who fulfills Scripture and announces God's kingdom. Read Matthew 7 within the complete Matthew overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Matthew 7

Matthew 7 contains 29 verses and about 583 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: ““Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 29 closes: “for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, good, give, tree, fruit, everyone. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Matthew 7

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Matthew 7:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

You do not have to have everything figured out.

Begin with one honest question, one passage read carefully, and one faithful next step.

Start with prayer