71 " Do not judge so that you will not be judged . 2 "For in the way you judge , you will be judged ; and by your standard of measure , it will be measured to you. 3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye , but do not notice the log that is in your own eye ? 4 " Or how can you say to your brother , 'Let me take the speck out of your eye ,' and behold , the log is in your own eye ? 5 "You hypocrite , first take the log out of your own eye , and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye . 6 " Do not give what is holy to dogs , and do not throw your pearls before swine , or they will trample them under their feet , and turn and tear you to pieces .
7 " Ask , and it will be given to you; seek , and you will find ; knock , and it will be opened to you. 8 "For everyone who asks receives , and he who seeks finds , and to him who knocks it will be opened . 9 "Or what man is there among you who , when his son asks for a loaf , will give him a stone ? 10 "Or if he asks for a fish , he will not give him a snake , will he? 11 "If you then , being evil , know how to give good gifts to your children , how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
12 "In everything , therefore , treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets .
13 " Enter through the narrow gate ; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction , and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life , and there are few who find it.
15 "Beware of the false prophets , who come to you in sheep's clothing , but inwardly are ravenous wolves . 16 "You will know them by their fruits . Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles , are they? 17 "So every good tree bears good fruit , but the bad tree bears bad fruit . 18 "A good tree cannot e produce bad fruit , nor can a bad tree produce good fruit . 19 " Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire . 20 "So then , you will know them by their fruits .
21 " Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord , Lord ,' will enter the kingdom of heaven , but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 " Many will say to Me on that day , 'Lord , Lord , did we not prophesy in Your name , and in Your name cast out demons , and in Your name perform many miracles ?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS .'
24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock . 25 "And the rain fell , and the floods came , and the winds blew and slammed against that house ; and yet it did not fall , for it had been founded on the rock . 26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand . 27 "The rain fell , and the floods came , and the winds blew and slammed against that house ; and it fell -and great was its fall ." 28 When Jesus had finished these words , the crowds were amazed at His teaching ; 29 for He was teaching them as one having authority , and not as their scribes .
31 Now in those days John the Baptist came , preaching in the wilderness of Judea , saying , 2 " Repent , for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ." 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said , " THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS , ' MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE Lord , MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT !' " 4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist ; and his food was locusts and wild honey . 5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan ; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River , as they confessed their sins .
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism , he said to them, "You brood of vipers , who warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? 8 " Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance ; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves , ' We have Abraham for our father '; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham . 10 "The axe is already laid at the root of the trees ; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire . 11 "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance , but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals ; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire . 12 "His winnowing fork is in His hand , and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor ; and He will gather His wheat into the barn , but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire ."
13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John , to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying , "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time ; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness ." Then he permitted Him. 16 After being baptized , Jesus came up immediately from the water ; and behold , the heavens were opened , and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold , a voice out of the heavens said , " This is My beloved Son , in whom I am well-pleased ."
