Matthew 7:16

So how will you know that they are false? Well, by seeing what plants produce, you know what kind of plants they are [MET]. For example, thornbushes cannot produce grapes, so ◄no one can pick grapes from thornbushes./can anyone pick grapes from thornbushes?► [RHQ] And thistles cannot produce figs, so ◄no one can pick figs from thistles./can anyone pick figs from thistles?► [RHQ]

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

In Context

15“Beware of people who come to you and say falsely that they are telling you what God has said. They seem to be harmless, but they are extremely harmful. They are like wolves that have covered themselves with sheepskins to make people believe that they are sheep [MET], but they actually are wolves that attack people [MET].

17Here is another example: All good fruit trees produce good fruit, but all unhealthy trees produce worthless fruit.

Read all of Matthew 7

Cross References

Matthew 12:33“Think about this: You can know whether a person is good and what that person says is good, in the same way that you can know whether a tree [MET] and the fruit it produces [MET] are good. You can also know whether a person and what that person says is evil in the same way that you can know whether a tree [MET] and its fruit [MET] are blighted. You can know whether a tree is good by seeing its fruit, and similarly people can know the evil character of you Pharisees by listening to your accusations against me.

James 3:12My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good water. Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things [MET].

Jude 1:10But the ones in your midst who teach false doctrine ◄revile/speak evil against► the spiritual beings that they do not understand. They also do the evil things that they desire, things that they know about ◄naturally/without needing to think►, things that they just do without considering the consequences/results, like animals. So they destroy themselves. But they will also be punished by God { God will also punish them}.

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Matthew 7:16