Matthew 7:16
14 But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
- KJV
- Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
- WEB
- By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?
- ASV
- By their fruits ye shall know them. Do [men] gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
- DARBY
- By their fruits ye shall know them. Do [men] gather a bunch of grapes from thorns, or from thistles figs?
- BLB
- From their fruits you⁺ will recognize them. [Do] they gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
- ÅB
- Dere skal kjenne dem på fruktene deres. Kan man vel sanke vindruer av tornebusker, eller fiken av tistler?
- OTB
- På fruktene skal dere kjenne dem. Plukker man druer fra tornebusker, eller fiken fra tistler?
- B1930
- Av deres frukter skal I kjenne dem; kan en vel sanke vindruer av tornebusker eller fiken av tistler?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Luke 6:43–45
No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
Read in contextJames 3:12
My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Read in contextMatthew 12:33
Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
Read in contextMatthew 7:20
So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Read in context2 Peter 2:10–18
Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
Read in contextJude 1:10–19
These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.
Read in context