Matthew 7 (NMV)
1 "Do not condemn others [with a self-righteous or absolute judgment reserved for God], so that you will not be condemned.
2 For in the same way you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the log in your own?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' while there is still a log in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite! First remove the log from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
6 Do not give what is holy to dogs [those who treat sacred things with contempt], and do not throw your pearls before pigs [those who have no regard for truth or spiritual value], or they may trample them underfoot and then turn to attack you.
7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
9 Or which man among you, if his son asks him for bread, would give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11 So if you, being sinful [fallen by nature], 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, in everything, whatever you would want others to do for you, do the same for them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to eternal ruin or separation from God, and many enter through it.
14 For narrow is the gate and difficult is the path that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are wolves [a Greco-Roman image of deceivers who use power, position, or appearance to exploit others].
16 You will recognize them by their fruit [their actions and character]. Do people gather grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree produces evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, and a rotten tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.
21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and perform many mighty works in Your name?'
23 Then I will proclaim to them publicly, 'I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.'
24 Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25 The rain came down, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not fall, because its foundation was 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 rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and great was its fall."
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching,
29 because He taught them as one who had authority, and not like their scribes.