⁷ If anyone is poor^(A) among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted^(B) toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded^(C) and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts,^(D) is near,” so that you do not show ill will^(E) toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.^{(F) 10} Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart;^(G) then because of this the Lord your God will bless^(H) you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people^(I) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.^(J)

³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?^(A) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them,^(B) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children^(C) of the Most High,^(D) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful,^(E) just as your Father^(F) is merciful.

Judging Others^(G)

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.^(H) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.^{(I) 38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.^(J) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”^(K)

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?^{(L) 40} The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.^(M)

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit^(N)

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.^(O) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.^(P)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(Q)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(R) and do not do what I say?^{(S) 47} As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,^(T) I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,^(A) and to be generous and willing to share.^(B)