New International Reader's Version

Matthew 7:5-21 New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

5. "You pretender! First take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Then you will be able to see clearly to take the bit of sawdust out of your friend's eye.

6. "Do not give holy things to dogs. Do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they might walk all over them. Then they might turn around and tear you to pieces.

7. "Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

8. Everyone who asks will receive. He who searches will find. The door will be opened to the one who knocks.

9. "Suppose your son asks for bread. Which of you will give him a stone?

10. Or suppose he asks for a fish. Which of you will give him a snake?

11. Even though you are evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

12. "In everything, do to others what you would want them to do to you. This is what is written in the Law and in the Prophets.

13. "Enter God's kingdom through the narrow gate. The gate is large and the road is wide that lead to death and hell. Many people go that way.

14. But the gate is small and the road is narrow that lead to life. Only a few people find it.

15. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves.

16. You can tell what they really are by what they do. "Do people pick grapes from bushes? Do they pick figs from thorns?

17. In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit. But a bad tree bears bad fruit.

18. A good tree can't bear bad fruit. And a bad tree can't bear good fruit.

19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. It is thrown into the fire.

20. You can tell each tree by its fruit.

21. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do what my Father in heaven wants will enter.