1 D o not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves.

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

2 F or just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you.

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

3 W hy do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother’s eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye?

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

4 O r how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye?

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

5 Y ou hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother’s eye.

You 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 D o not give that which is holy (the sacred thing) to the dogs, and do not throw your pearls before hogs, lest they trample upon them with their feet and turn and tear you in pieces.

“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 K eep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking and will be opened to you.

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

8 F or everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, will be opened.

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

9 O r what man is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone?

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

10 O r if he asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent?

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

11 I f you then, evil as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him!

If 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!

12 S o then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so do also to and for them, for this is (sums up) the Law and the Prophets.

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

13 E nter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.

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

14 B ut the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

15 B eware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.

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

16 Y ou will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

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

17 E ven so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit '> worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.

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

18 A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit.

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

19 E very tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

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

20 T herefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.

Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

21 N ot everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.

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.

22 M any will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name?

Many 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?’

23 A nd then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly.

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

24 S o everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock.

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

25 A nd the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

The 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.

26 A nd everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand.

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

27 A nd the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great and complete was the fall of it.

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

28 W hen Jesus had finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished and overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His teaching,

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

29 F or He was teaching as One Who had authority, and not as the scribes.

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