Matthew 7:16
By their fruits you will get knowledge of them. Do men get grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?
Bible in Basic English
In The King James Version
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
In Context
17Even so, every good tree gives good fruit; but the bad tree gives evil fruit.
Cross References
Matthew 12:33Make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for by its fruit you will get knowledge of the tree.
James 3:12Is a fig-tree able to give us olives, my brothers, or do we get figs from a vine, or sweet water from the salt sea?
Jude 1:10But these men say evil about such things as they have no knowledge of; and the things of which they have natural knowledge, like beasts without reason, are the cause of their destruction.
Matthew Henry on Matthew 7:16-21
The Sermon on the Mount. 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20… Read the whole commentary →