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Summary

Matthew 7:1–5 – Judging Others

What happens:
Jesus warns against judging others, saying that the measure you use will be measured back to you. He urges believers to remove the plank from their own eye before trying to take the speck from a brother’s eye.

What it means:
Sinful tendencies in our own lives distort our perspective on others. True restoration begins with self-examination and humility, not with pointing out others’ faults.

Matthew 7:6 – Pearls Before Swine

What happens:
Jesus tells his followers not to give what is holy to dogs or cast pearls before swine, lest they trample them and turn to attack.

What it means:
Sacred truth and spiritual insight must be shared with discernment. Exposing them to those who will mock or misuse them wastes what is precious.

Matthew 7:7–11 – Ask, Seek, Knock

What happens:
Jesus encourages persistent prayer: ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. He reminds them that if flawed parents give good gifts, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

What it means:
God welcomes earnest requests and delights in answering them. Persistence in prayer expresses trust in his loving character and generous provision.

Matthew 7:12 – The Golden Rule

What happens:
Jesus summarizes the Law and the Prophets with the principle: do to others whatever you would have them do to you.

What it means:
Active empathy—treating others as you wish to be treated—fulfills divine ethics and encapsulates God’s will for human relationships.

Matthew 7:13–14 – The Narrow and Wide Gates

What happens:
Jesus compares two gates: a wide gate leading to destruction and a narrow gate leading to life, warning that few find the narrow path.

What it means:
Following Christ requires deliberate choice and often involves sacrifice, whereas the path of least resistance leads away from abundant life.

Matthew 7:15–20 – True and False Prophets

What happens:
Jesus warns against false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves. He teaches that you will recognize them by their fruit—good trees bear good fruit, bad trees bear bad fruit.

What it means:
Character and deeds reveal true allegiance. Discernment of teaching and leadership depends on observing consistent, life-giving outcomes of their ministry.

Matthew 7:21–23 – True Disciples

What happens:
Jesus states that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom, but only those who do the will of the Father. He describes a scene where people prophesy and perform miracles in his name, yet he will declare, “I never knew you.”

What it means:
External profession and even miraculous works cannot substitute for genuine obedience. Intimacy with Christ is defined by doing God’s will, not by religious performance.

Matthew 7:24–27 – Wise and Foolish Builders

What happens:
Jesus tells of two builders: the wise man who builds his house on rock and withstands storms, and the foolish man who builds on sand and sees his house collapse.

What it means:
Obedience to Jesus’ teaching provides a solid foundation for life. Hearing without doing leaves one vulnerable when trials come.

Application

  • Examine your own heart before criticizing others, practicing humility in relationships
  • Share spiritual truth with wisdom, recognizing when listeners are ready to receive it
  • Pray persistently, trusting God’s generosity and seeking the Spirit’s guidance
  • Treat others with empathy and respect, living out the Golden Rule daily
  • Choose the narrow path of discipleship, even when it involves sacrifice or unpopularity
  • Discern teaching and leadership by observing the fruit of character and ministry
  • Commit to obeying Christ’s words rather than relying on religious actions alone
  • Build your life on obedience to Jesus to withstand the inevitable storms of life

Bible

1Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4Or 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?

5Thou 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.

6Give 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.

7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11If 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?

12Therefore 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.

13Enter 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:

14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21Not 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.

22Many 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?

23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25And 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.

26And 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:

27And 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.

28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

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