Matthew 7:7-29

New American Standard Bible

Prayer and the Golden Rule

⁷ “^[a](A)Ask, and ^(B)it will be given to you; ^[b]seek, and you will find; ^[c]knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or what person is there among you ^[d]who, when his son asks for a loaf of bread, ^[e]will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or ^[f]if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? ¹¹ So if you, despite being ^[g]evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, ^(C)how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

¹² “In everything, ^(D)therefore, ^[h]treat people the same way you want ^[i]them to treat you, for ^(E)this is the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “^(F)Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

¹⁵ “Beware of the ^(G)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ^(H)ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will ^[j](I)know them by their fruits. ^[k]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷ So ^(J)every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ^19 (K)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So then, you will ^[l]know them ^(L)by their fruits.

²¹ “^(M)Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ^22 (N)Many will say to Me on ^(O)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ^[m]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; ^(P)leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

The Two Foundations

²⁴ “Therefore, ^(Q)everyone who hears these words of Mine, and ^[n]acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain fell and the ^[o]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not ^[p]act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain fell and the ^[q]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.”

^28 [r](R)When Jesus had finished these words, ^(S)the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹ for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.