Matthew 7 · Verse 20

Matthew 7:20

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:20, King James Version

Matthew 7:20 in other translations

BSB	So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.
WEB	Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
ASV	Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
YLT	therefore from their fruits ye shall know them.
DARBY	By their fruits then surely ye shall know them.
BBE	So by their fruits you will get knowledge of them.
Webster	Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them,

What does Matthew 7:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them--that is, But the point I now press is not so much the end of such, as the means of detecting them; and this, as already said, is their fruits. The hypocrisy of teachers now leads to a solemn warning against religious hypocrisy in general.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 20 Wherefore by their fruits, etc. - This truth is often repeated, because our eternal interests depend so much upon it. Not to have good fruit is to have evil: there can be no innocent sterility in the invisible tree of the heart. He that brings forth no fruit, and he that brings forth bad fruit, are both only fit for the fire.

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 7:20 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.

ἄραaraThenG686

γεgesurelyG1065

ἀπὸapobyG575

τῶνtōntheG3588

καρπῶνkarpōnfruitsG2590

αὐτῶνautōnof themG846

ἐπιγνώσεσθεepignōsestheyou will knowG1921

αὐτούς.¶autousthem.G846

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

Cross references for Matthew 7:20

Matthew 7:16
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

16; Ac 5:38

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

Context

Matthew 7:19
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 7:20
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Read all of Matthew 7

Matthew 7:20 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Así que, por sus frutos los conoceréis.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Ainsi vous les reconnaîtrez à leurs fruits.
German Elberfelder 1871	Deshalb, an ihren Früchten werdet ihr sie erkennen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Igitur ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos.