Matthew 7:7-8:13

New International Version

Ask, Seek, Knock^(A)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you;^(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds;^(C) and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts^(D) to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,^(E) for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.^(F)

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate.^(G) For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets.^(H) They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.^{(I) 16} By their fruit you will recognize them.^(J) Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?^{(K) 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.^{(L) 19} Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.^{(M) 20} Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

True and False Disciples

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(N) will enter the kingdom of heaven,^(O) but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.^{(P) 22} Many will say to me on that day,^(Q) ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’^{(R) 23} Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’^(S)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(T)

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice^(U) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things,^(V) the crowds were amazed at his teaching,^{(W) 29} because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy^(X)

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy^[a](Y) came and knelt before him^(Z) and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone.^(AA) But go, show yourself to the priest^(AB) and offer the gift Moses commanded,^(AC) as a testimony to them.”

The Faith of the Centurion^(AD)

⁵ When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. ⁶ “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed,^(AE) suffering terribly.”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

⁸ The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.^{(AF) 9} For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.^{(AG) 11} I say to you that many will come from the east and the west,^(AH) and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.^{(AI) 12} But the subjects of the kingdom^(AJ) will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”^(AK)

¹³ Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.”^(AL) And his servant was healed at that moment.