| 7“Ask, and it will be given to you0x3B seek, and you will find0x3B knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9Or what man is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone0x3B 10and if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! | |
| 12“Therefore whatever you wish that others would do to you, do the same also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13“Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14How narrow is the gate, and restricted the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it! 15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16By their fruits you will know them. Do people gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. | 31As you wish that others would do to you, do the same also to them. |
| 18A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many miracles?’ 23Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you0x3B depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’ | 43“No good tree produces bad fruit, nor does a bad tree produce good fruit. 44Each tree is known by its own fruit. People do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a bramble bush. 45The good person brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil person brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart, for out of the abundance of his heart his mouth speaks. 46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say? |
| 24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them I will compare to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was its fall.” | 47I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49But he who hears my words and does not act accordingly is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. As soon as the river burst against that house, it fell and was utterly destroyed.” |
