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Day 7 of 7

Matthew 7

Hear, discern, and put Jesus' words into practice

Today's chapter is Matthew 7, the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Read it through and finish with the two builders in verses 24-27.

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World English Bible (WEB), public domain

Today's focus: verses 24-27

1“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.

2For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.

3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?

4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?

5You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

7“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

8For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

9Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?

11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

13“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.

14How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.

15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

16By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.

18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

19Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.

20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

21Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’

23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.

25The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26Everyone who hears these words of mine, and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand.

27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,

29for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

Context note

Reading Matthew 7 in context

This chapter holds some of the most quoted lines in the Bible, and the first is a good test of this week's practice. "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged" (7:1) is often used to mean that no one should ever call anything wrong. Keep reading. Jesus is warning against hypocrisy: take the beam out of your own eye first, "and then you can see clearly" to help someone else (7:5). A few verses later he tells his listeners to recognize false prophets by their fruit (7:15-20).

The chapter also includes ask, seek, and knock (7:7-11), and the command to treat others the way you want to be treated (7:12).

The sermon ends with a picture. Two people build houses, and both hear Jesus' words. Only one puts them into practice, and his house is the one still standing after the storm (7:24-27). Matthew adds that the crowds were astonished, because Jesus taught with authority (7:28-29).

This note is commentary to help you read. The chapter above is the Scripture text.

Reflect

Which practice from this week will I continue, and when?

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Choose your next step

Pick one practice from this week to keep, a time of day that fits it, and a next chapter. A few places to go from here:

  • Matthew 5, the start of the Sermon on the Mount
  • James 2, where James turns to favoritism and to faith that acts
  • Philippians 1, the opening of the letter you read on Day 6

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