Matthew 7 - The Message (MSG)

A Simple Guide for Behavior

7 1-5 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.

6 “Don’t be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don’t reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you’re only being cute and inviting sacrilege.

7-11 “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?

12 “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get.

Being and Doing

13-14 “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

15-20 “Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.

21-23 “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our super-spiritual projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

24-25 “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

26-27 “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

28-29 When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying—quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.

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Matthew 7 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

7 Do not judge others, then you will not be judged. 2 The way you judge others, that is the way you will be judged. How much you give to others is how much will be given to you. 3 `Why do you look at the spot of dust in your brother's eye? But you do not see a big stick in your own eye! 4 Why do you...
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Matthew 7 - World English Bible (WEB)

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Matthew 7 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Matthew 7 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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Matthew 7 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

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Matthew 7 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Judging Others7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see 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 ...
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Matthew 7 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 “For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. And with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you again. 3 “And why do you see the splinter that is in your brother’s eye, and not perceive the beam that is in your own eye? 4 “Or how can you...
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Matthew 7 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

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Matthew 7 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Judging Others7 ‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. 2 For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. 3 Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s[a] eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your ...
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Matthew 7 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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Matthew 7 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Jesus forbids foolish and presumptuous judgment, reproves hypocrisy, exhorts to prayer, warns us to beware of false prophets, and so concludes his sermon. 7 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For as you judge, so shall you be judged, and the measure you use will be measured back to you. 3 Why do...
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Matthew 7 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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Matthew 7 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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