A Tree Known by Its Fruit(A)

33 “Either make the tree good and (B)its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 (C)Brood[a] of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? (D)For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure [b]of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 12:34 Offspring
  2. Matthew 12:35 NU, M omit of his heart

Words Reveal Character

33 “Either [a]assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or [b]assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for (A)the tree is known by its fruit. 34 (B)You [c]offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? (C)For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. 35 (D)The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things. 36 But I tell you that for every [d]careless word that people [e]speak, they will give an account of it on the (E)day of judgment. 37 For [f]by your words you will be justified, and [g]by your words you will be condemned.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 12:33 Lit make
  2. Matthew 12:33 Lit make
  3. Matthew 12:34 Or brood
  4. Matthew 12:36 Or useless
  5. Matthew 12:36 Lit will speak
  6. Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with
  7. Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with

Words Reveal Character

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is recognized and judged by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 The good man, from his [inner] good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his [inner] evil treasure, brings out evil things. 36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. 37 For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.”

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33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.(A) 34 You brood of vipers,(B) how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks(C) what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”(D)

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33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

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