1    2   ‘Pass no judgement, and you will not be judged. For as you judge others, so you will yourselves be judged, and whatever measure you deal out to others will be dealt back to you. 3   Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye, with never a thought for the great plank in your own? 4   Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, when all the time there is that plank in your own? 5   You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's.

6   ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls to the pigs: they will only trample on them, and turn and tear you to pieces.

7   ‘Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened. 8   For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

9   ‘Is there a man among you who will offer his son a stone when he asks for bread, or a snake when he asks for fish? 10    11   If you, then, bad as you are, know how to give your children what is good for them,

The Sermon on the Mount how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him!

12   ‘Always treat others as you would like them to treat you: that is the Law and the prophets.

13   ‘Enter by the narrow gate. The gate is wide that leads to perdition, there is plenty of room on the road, ^note and many go that way; 14   but the gate that leads to life is small and the road is narrow, ^note and those who find it are few.

15   ‘Beware of false prophets, men who come to you dressed up as sheep while underneath they are savage wolves. 16   You will recognize them by the fruits they bear. Can grapes be picked from briars, or figs from thistles? 17   In the same way, a good tree always yields good fruit, and a poor tree bad fruit. 18   A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, or a poor tree good fruit. 19   And when a tree does not yield good fruit it is cut down and burnt. 20   That is why I say you will recognize them by their fruits.

21   ‘Not everyone who calls me “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my heavenly Father. 22   When that day comes, many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out devils in your name, and in your name perform many miracles?” 23   Then I will tell them to their face, “I never knew you; out of my sight, you and your wicked ways!”

24   ‘What then of the man who hears these words of mine and acts upon them? He is like a man who had the sense to build his house on rock. 25   The rain came down, the floods rose, the wind blew, and beat upon that house; but it did not fall, because its foundations were on rock. 26   But what of the man who hears these words of mine and does not act upon them? He is like a man who was foolish enough to build his house on sand. 27   The rain came down, the floods rose, the wind blew, and beat upon that house; down it fell with a great crash.’

28   When Jesus had finished this discourse the people were astounded at his teaching; unlike their own teachers he taught with a note of authority.

Previous section

Next section