A Tree and Its Fruit

¹⁵ “Beware of the ^(A)false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ^(B)ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will ^[a](C)know them by their fruits. ^[b]Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? ¹⁷ So ^(D)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 (E)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ So then, you will ^[c]know them ^(F)by their fruits.

²¹ “^(G)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 (H)Many will say to Me on ^(I)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ^[d]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; ^(J)leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ^(A)you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full ^[a]of robbery and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee, first ^(B)clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the ^[b]outside of it may also become clean.

²⁷ “^(C)Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

¹¹ And many ^(A)false prophets will rise up and ^[a]mislead many people.

^16 (A)They profess to know God, but by their deeds they ^(B)deny Him, being ^(C)detestable and ^(D)disobedient and ^(E)worthless ^(F)for any good deed.