Matthew 7:1-29 King James Version Bible

Summary and Message of Matthew 7 – Righteous Living, Sincere Faith, Discernment, and Obedience

Matthew 7:1-29 King James Version Bible concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a call for heart-based righteousness – with teachings on judgement, prayer and persistent faith, the Golden Rule, the importance of humility, discernment, and obedience to Jesus’ teachings.

Jesus urges His followers to avoid hypocritical judgment, trust in God’s goodness, treat others with empathy, and choose the difficult yet rewarding path of true discipleship. HE stresses the necessity of following the narrow path of righteousness, discerning true prophets by their fruits of righteousness and the necessity of acting on His words. Jesus calls to a transformative and authentic faith that impacts every aspect of life.

Summary and Message of Matthew 7 – Righteous Living, Sincere Faith, Discernment, and Obedience

Judging Others (Matthew 7:1-6)

Jesus teaches against hypocritical judgment, urging self-examination before critiquing others.

• Before correcting others, we must address your own faults (“remove the plank from your own eye”). This teaches personal accountability and humility
• “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” This emphasizes that the standard we use to judge others will be applied to us. It warns against self-righteousness and encourages humility.
• Do not give sacred things to those who will not appreciate them (“do not throw your pearls to pigs”). This suggests discernment in sharing spiritual truths and knowing that no everyone will accept them.

Seeking – Knocking and You Will Find (Matthew 7:7-11)

Jesus encourages persistent prayer and trust in God’s generosity. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Comparing God to earthly parents, Jesus assures that if parents give good gifts to their children, God who is loving infinitely, will give good things to those who ask Him. Jesus encourages persistent prayer and faith in God’s goodness.

The Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12)

Jesus summarizes the Law and the Prophets, and its principle summarizes ethical behavior in the Kingdom of Heaven. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” which promotes empathy, compassion, and ethical conduct.

The Narrow and Wide Gates (Matthew 7:13-14)

Jesus contrasts the difficult path to life with the easy path to destruction. “Enter through the narrow gate” as this narrow path represents the challenging but rewarding way of following Jesus, requiring commitment and sacrifice. For wide is the easy, popular gate, and broad is the road that leads to destruction and spiritual ruin which many enter through it.

True and False Prophets (Matthew 7:15-20)

Jesus warns against false prophets and teaches discernment (how to recognize them) by examining their fruits. “By their fruit you will recognize them” means that true followers of Jesus will produce good deeds and righteousness, while false prophets will be known by their lack of these qualities.

True and False Disciples (Matthew 7:21-23)

Jesus emphasizes that verbal profession alone is insufficient and genuine discipleship involves doing God’s will. Merely calling Him “Lord” is not enough, doing the Father’s will is necessary.

“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 who is in heaven”: This highlights the necessity of obedience and true discipleship over mere verbal acknowledgment. Jesus will reject those “I never knew you” who practice lawlessness and perform religious acts without true faith and obedience.

The Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24-27)

The storms of life test the foundations, revealing the stability of building on Jesus’ teachings. And Jesus contrasts the outcomes of those who hear and act on His words “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice” to those who are builders.

• “Like a wise man who built his house on the rock”: Acting on Jesus’ teachings provides a solid foundation that withstands life’s trials.
• “Like a foolish man who built his house on sand”: Ignoring Jesus’ teachings results in a fragile foundation that collapses under pressure.

Matthew 7:1-27 King James Version Bible

1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the 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, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.