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Jesus forbids foolish and presumptuous judgment, reproves hypocrisy, exhorts to prayer, warns us to beware of false prophets, and so concludes his sermon.

Judge not, that you be not judged. For as you judge, so shall you be judged, and the measure you use will be measured back to you. Why do you see a speck in your brother’s eye, and not perceive the beam that is in your own eye? Or why do you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold, there is a beam in your own eye? Hypocrite, first cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to pluck the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Do not give that which is holy to dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet and then turn and tear you to shreds.

Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For whosoever asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if his son asked for bread, would offer him a stone? 10 Or if he asked for fish, would give him a serpent? 11 If, then, you who are 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 Therefore whatever you would have others do unto you, so do unto them. This is the law and the prophets.

13 Enter in at the strait gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in at it. 14 But strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there are who find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 You may know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, nor yet can a bad tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. 20 Therefore, by their fruits you may know them.

21 Not all who say 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 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name have cast out devils, and in your name done many miracles? 23 And then I will declare to them that I never knew them. Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity!

24 Whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 And much rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that same house; and it did not fall, because it was grounded on the rock. 26 And whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them not shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And much rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, and it fell. And great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his instruction. 29 For he taught them as one having power, and not as the scribes.

Judging Others(A)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.(B) For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.(C)

“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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock(D)

“Ask and it will be given to you;(E) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;(F) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts(G) to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,(H) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.(I)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate.(J) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

15 “Watch out for false prophets.(K) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.(L) 16 By their fruit you will recognize them.(M) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?(N) 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.(O) 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.(P) 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’(Q) will enter the kingdom of heaven,(R) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.(S) 22 Many will say to me on that day,(T) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’(U) 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’(V)

The Wise and Foolish Builders(W)

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice(X) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things,(Y) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,(Z) 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.