⁸ Bear fruit ^(A)in keeping with repentance.

⁹ And do not presume to say to yourselves, ^(A)‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from ^(B)these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

⁷ “Blessed are ^(A)the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Love Your Enemies

^43 (A)“You have heard that it was said, ^(B)‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, ^(C)Love your enemies and ^(D)pray for those who persecute you, ^45 (E)so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and ^(F)sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ^46 (G)For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers,^[a] what more are you doing than others? Do not even ^(H)the Gentiles do the same? ^48 (I)You therefore must be ^(J)perfect, ^(K)as your heavenly Father is perfect.

^15 (A)but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Judging Others

7 ^(A)“Judge not, that you be not judged. ^2 (B)For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and ^(C)with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ³ Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but ^(D)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,’ when there is the log 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 (E)“Do not give ^(F)dogs what is holy, and do not throw your ^(G)pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Ask, and It Will Be Given

^7 (H)“Ask, ^(I)and it will be given to you; ^(J)seek, and you will find; ^(K)knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for ^(L)bread, will give him ^(M)a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, ^(N)who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will ^(O)your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The Golden Rule

¹² “So ^(P)whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is ^(Q)the Law and the Prophets.

^13 (R)“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy^[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and ^(S)the way is hard that leads to life, and ^(T)those who find it are few.

A Tree and Its Fruit

^15 (U)“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ^(V)ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them ^(W)by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, ^(X)every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ^19 (Y)Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them ^(Z)by their fruits.

¹³ Go and learn ^(A)what this means: ^(B)‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For ^(C)I came not to call the righteous, ^(D)but sinners.”

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

^33 (A)“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, ^(B)for the tree is known by its fruit.