“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
(as though the words must spell what is “a thing”),
will enter to the realm where God's adored
where he who sources love has pow'r of king.
It’s only those continuing to do
the will of heaven's Father, who'll be there.
For many will on judgment day say to
me, ‘Lord, Lord, don’t you know, remember where
you met us? In your name we prophesied.
'Twas in your name that we cast demons out,
and we did many miracles, and cried
the news of all your power. We would shout!
But I will have to say to them, ‘Good bye!
Away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve
not known, or ever been joined to you! I
would say I've never really met you.' Strive
to hear my teaching and apply it, for
each person hearing it, who lives it out,
is like a wise man who built his house or
home ON un-shak-a-ble foundations flout-
ing all the rains, and river-floods, and winds,
that come to beat upon his house or home.”
“Yet anyone who hears my teaching, grins
but doesn’t live it out, they're on their own,
and like a foolish man who builds perhaps
on sand; when wind and rain, and river-floods
had beat upon his house, it then collapsed,
and swept away - was just like all the duds!
And by the time that Jesus finished up
his speaking to the crowds who were dispatched
amazed and overwhelmed, his words erupt-
ed, HIS teaching's authority's unmatched!
Matthew 7 (The Passion Translation)
Refuse to be “The Judge” of others, and judgment[a] will not be passed on you. 2 For you’ll be judged by the same standard that you’ve used to judge others. The measurement you use on them will be used on you.[b] 3 Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and yet fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own?[c] 4 How could you say to your friend, ‘Let me show you where you’re wrong,’ when you’re guilty of even more? 5 You’re being hypercritical and a hypocrite! First acknowledge your own ‘blind spots’ and deal with them, and then you’ll be capable of dealing with the ‘blind spot’ of your friend.[d]
6 “Who would hang earrings on a dog’s ear or throw pearls[e] in front of wild pigs? They’ll only trample them under their feet and then turn around and tear you to pieces!
7 “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.[f]
9 “Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? 10 Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead? 11 If you, imperfect as you are,[g] know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts[h] to those who ask him?”
The Golden Rule
12 “In everything you do, be careful to treat others in the same way you’d want them to treat you, for that is the essence of all the teachings of the Law and the Prophets.”
The Narrow Gate
13 “Come to God through the narrow gate, because the wide gate and broad path is the way that leads to destruction—nearly everyone chooses that crowded road! 14 The narrow gate and the difficult way leads to eternal life—so few even find it!”
False Prophets
15 “Constantly be on your guard against phony prophets. They come disguised as lambs, appearing to be genuine, but on the inside they are like wild, ravenous wolves![i] 16 You can spot them by their actions, for the fruits of their character will be obvious. You won’t find sweet grapes hanging on a thorn bush, and you’ll never pick good fruit from a tumbleweed. 17–19 So if the tree is good, it will produce good fruit; but if the tree is bad, it will bear only rotten fruit and it deserves to be cut down and burned. 20 Look at the obvious fruit of their lives and ministries, and then you’ll know whether they are true or false.”
Jesus Warns of Pretenders
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the realm of heaven’s kingdom. It is only those who persist in doing the will of my heavenly Father. 22 On the day of judgment many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, don’t you remember us? Didn’t we prophesy[j] in your name? Didn’t we cast out demons and do many miracles for the sake of your name?’ 23 But I will have to say to them, ‘Go away from me, you lawless rebels! I’ve never been joined to you!’[k]
24 “Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. 25 When the rains fell and the flood[l] came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation.
26 “But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away.”[m]
28 By the time Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were dazed and overwhelmed[n] by his teaching, 29 because his words carried such great authority, quite unlike their religious scholars.[o]
Footnotes:
Matthew 7:1 It is God’s judgment that is being implied by the passive verbs.
Matthew 7:2 See Rom. 2:1.
Matthew 7:3 Or “Why do you see a speck in your brother’s eye but fail to see the beam of wood sticking out of your own eye?”
Matthew 7:5 Or “You hypocrite, why don’t you first remove the beam sticking out of your own eye? Then you can see clearly to remove the small speck out of your brother’s eye.” Jesus is clearly teaching that our blind spots prevent us from accurately evaluating the needs of others.
Matthew 7:6 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “Don’t let the dogs have consecrated [holy] meat.” The Aramaic word for “earrings” is almost identical to the word for “holy.” Earrings and pearls are symbols of spiritual truths given to us by God. They give us beautiful “ears” to hear his voice and impart lovely pearls of wisdom, which are not to be regarded lightly or shared with those who have their hearts closed. The Aramaic word for “throw” is almost identical to the word for “to instruct” or “to teach.” The value of wisdom is not appreciated by those who have no ears to hear it.
Matthew 7:8 Clement of Alexandria attributes an additional saying to Jesus and states that it is from the Hebrew Matthew: “The one who seeks should not cease until he finds, and in finding he shall marvel, and having marveled he shall reign, and having reigned he shall rest.” Miscellanies 2.9 (de Santos 3; Lagrange 9) and Miscellanies 5.14 (de Santos 4; Lagrange 10).
Matthew 7:11 Or “although you are evil.”
Matthew 7:11 Hebrew Matthew is “give his good Spirit,” a reference to asking for the Holy Spirit. See also Luke 11:13.
Matthew 7:15 Hebrew Matthew adds a phrase, “They are full of deceit as wild, ravenous wolves.” There is at least a hint here of the Benjamite prophecy found in Gen. 49:27.
Matthew 7:22 Or “preach in your name.”
Matthew 7:23 The Aramaic can be translated “From everlasting I have not known you.”
Matthew 7:25 Or “rivers.” See also Song. 8:7.
Matthew 7:27 Or “and great was its fall!”
Matthew 7:28 The Greek word used here, ekplesso, is a strong verb that means “awestruck, filled with amazement, astonished, panic stricken, something that takes your breath away (being hit with a blow), to be shocked, to expel, to drive out.” Clearly, Jesus spoke with such glory and power emanating from him that his words were like thunderbolts in their hearts. May we hear his words in the same way today.
Matthew 7:29 Or “scribes” (experts of the Law). Jesus taught from an inner knowledge of God and his Word, for his teaching emphasized obedience to God from the heart, not just outwardly keeping laws.
The Passion Translation (TPT)
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