Matthew 7 · Verse 18

Matthew 7:18

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Matthew 7:18, King James Version

Matthew 7:18 in other translations

BSBA good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
WEBA good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
ASVA good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
YLTA good tree is not able to yield evil fruits, nor a bad tree to yield good fruits.
DARBYA good tree cannot produce bad fruits, nor a worthless tree produce good fruits.
BBEIt is not possible for a good tree to give bad fruit, and a bad tree will not give good fruit.
WebsterA good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

What does Matthew 7:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit--Obvious as is the truth here expressed in different forms--that the heart determines and is the only proper interpreter of the actions of our life--no one who knows how the Church of Rome makes a merit of actions, quite apart from the motives that prompt them, and how the same tendency manifests itself from time to time even among Protestant Christians, can think it too obvious to be insisted on by the teachers of divine truth. Here follows a wholesome digression.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit - Love to God and man is the root of the good tree; and from this principle all its fruit is found. To teach, as some have done, that a state of salvation may be consistent with the greatest crimes, (such as murder and adultery in David), or that the righteous necessarily sin in all their best works, is really to make the good tree bring forth bad fruit, and to give the lie to the Author of eternal truth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 7:15-20

Nothing so much prevents men from entering the strait gate, and becoming true followers of Christ, as the carnal, soothing, flattering doctrines of those who oppose the truth. They may be known by the drift and effects of their doctrines. Some part of their temper and conduct is contrary to the mind of Christ. Those opinions come not from God that lead to sin.

Read the full comment on Matthew 7:15-20 →

Matthew 7:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οὐouNotG3756
δύναταιdunataiis ableG1410
δένδρονdendrona treeG1186
ἀγαθὸνagathongoodG18
καρποὺςkarpousfruitsG2590
πονηροὺςponērousbadG4190
ποιεῖνpoieinto produceG4160
οὐδὲoudenor [is able]G3761
δένδρονdendrona treeG1186
σαπρὸνsapronbadG4550
καρποὺςkarpousfruitsG2590
καλοὺςkalousgoodG2570
ποιεῖν.poieinto produce.G4160

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 7:18

  • Galatians 5:17

    For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

  • 1 John 3:9-10

    Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
cannot.
Ga 5:17; 1Jo 3:9,10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 7:17

    Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

  • Matthew 7:18

    A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

  • Matthew 7:19

    Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Read all of Matthew 7

Matthew 7:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No puede el buen árbol llevar malos frutos, ni el árbol maleado llevar frutos buenos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Un bon arbre ne peut pas produire de mauvais fruits, ni un arbre mauvais produire de bons fruits.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ein guter Baum kann nicht schlechte Früchte bringen, noch ein fauler Baum gute Früchte bringen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non potest arbor bona malos fructus facere: neque arbor mala bonos fructus facere.