Matthew 7 : Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus Teaches About Judging People (Lk. 6:37-38, 41-42)
7 1"Don't judge other people, and God will not judge you. 2If you judge other people, you will be judged in the same way you judge them. And the forgiveness you give to other people will be given to you. 3"Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your brother's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood that is in your own eye? 4Why do you say to your brother, 'Let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye'? Look at yourself first! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. 5You are a hypocrite.* First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your brother's eye. 6"Don't give holy things to dogs. They will only turn and hurt you. And don't throw your pearls to pigs. They will only step on them.
Continue to Ask God for All You Need (Lk. 11:9-13)
7"Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 8Yes, if a person continues asking, that person will receive. If a person continues looking, that person will find. And if a person continues knocking, the door will open for that person. 9"Do any of you have a son? If your son asked for bread, would you give him a rock? No! 10Or if your son asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? No! 11[You are not like God]--you are evil. But you know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those people that ask him.
The Most Important Rule
12"Do to other people the same things you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law [of Moses] and the [teaching of the] prophets.*
The Way to Heaven and the Way to Hell (Lk. 13:24)
13"Enter through the narrow gate [that opens the way to heaven]. The road that leads to hell is a very easy road. And the gate to hell is very wide. Many people enter that gate. 14But the gate that opens the way to [true] life is very small. And the road to [true] life is very difficult (hard). Only a few people find that road.
Watch the Things People Do (Lk. 6:43-44; 13:25-27)
15"Be careful of false prophets.* They come to you and look [gentle] like sheep. But they are really dangerous [like] wolves. 16You will know these people because of the things they do. Good things don't come from bad people, the same as grapes don't come from thorn bushes. And figs don't come from thorny weeds. 17In the same way, every good tree makes good fruit. And bad trees make bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot make bad fruit. And a bad tree cannot make good fruit. 19Every tree that does not make good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20You will know these false people by the fruit they make (things they do). 21"Not every person that says that I am his Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. The only people that will enter the kingdom of heaven are those people that do the things that my Father in heaven wants. 22On the last day many people will say to me, 'You are our Lord! We spoke for you. And for you we forced out demons* and did many miracles.*' 23Then I will tell those people clearly, 'Go away from me, you people that do wrong. I never knew you.'
A Wise Person and a Foolish Person (Lk. 6:47-49)
24"Every person that hears these things I say and obeys these things is like a wise man. The wise man built his house on rock. 25It rained hard and the water rose. The winds blew and hit that house. But the house did not fall, because the house was built on rock. 26But the person that hears the things I teach and does not obey those things is like a foolish man. The foolish man built his house on sand. 27It rained hard, the water rose, and the winds blew and hit that house. And the house fell with a loud noise." 28When Jesus finished saying these things, the people were amazed at his teaching. 29Jesus did not teach like their teachers of the law. Jesus taught like a person that had authority (power).
hypocrite A bad person that acts like he is good. prophets People that spoke for God. Some of them wrote books that are part of the Old Testament. false prophets People that say they speak for God but do not really speak God's truth. demon(s) Demons are evil spirits from the devil. miracle(s) Amazing works done by God's power.