A Tree and Its Fruit
15 v“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wwolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. xAre grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 yEvery tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
I Never Knew You
21 z“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will aenter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who bdoes the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, c‘I never knew you; ddepart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Build Your House on the Rock
24 e“Everyone then who fhears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who ghears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
The Authority of Jesus
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were hastonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had iauthority, and not as their scribes.
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
22 aThen a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were bamazed, and said, c“Can this be the dSon of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, e“It is only by fBeelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a gstrong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 hWhoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the iblasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit
33 j“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the ktree is known by its fruit. 34 You lbrood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? mFor out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will ngive account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Traditions and Commandments
1 mThen Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the ntradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, o‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, p‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 5 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”1 6 he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word2 of God. 7 You hypocrites! qWell did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
8 r“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the scommandments of men.’”
What Defiles a Person
10 tAnd he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 uit is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, vbut what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 He answered, “Every wplant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be xrooted up. 14 Let them alone; they are yblind guides.3 And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16 And he said, z“Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?4 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 aFor out of the bheart come evil thoughts, cmurder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
