Matthew 7:20 kjv
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:20 nkjv
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Matthew 7:20 niv
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Matthew 7:20 esv
Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Matthew 7:20 nlt
Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
Matthew 7 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 3:8 | Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. | True inward change results in observable actions. |
| Mt 12:33 | Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad... | Direct parallel: character dictates actions. |
| Lk 6:43-45 | For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit... A good person produces good... from the good stored up in his heart... | Emphasizes inner condition manifesting outwardly. |
| Jas 2:17 | So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. | True faith is evidenced by actions, not just profession. |
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control... | Defines positive, Spirit-led "fruits." |
| Col 1:10 | ...so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work... | Believers' lives are expected to produce good works. |
| Rom 6:21-22 | What fruit did you have then from the things of which you are now ashamed... But now that you have been set free... the fruit you get leads to sanctification... | Contrast between former sinful "fruit" and new "fruit" of holiness. |
| Jn 15:8 | By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. | Discipleship is proven by consistent fruit-bearing. |
| 1 Jn 4:1 | Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. | Direct command to discern and test those claiming divine inspiration. |
| Dt 13:1-5 | If a prophet arises among you...and he gives you a sign or a wonder...but what he says does not come true...that prophet has spoken presumptuously... | Old Testament criterion for a true prophet's message. |
| Dt 18:20-22 | But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name... If a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and the word does not come to pass... | Old Testament principle of identifying false prophets. |
| Jer 23:16-22 | Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you...I did not send these prophets, yet they ran...If they had stood in my counsel... | False prophets in Jeremiah's time revealed by their unbiblical message and lack of true spiritual fruit. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies... | Warns of false teachers and their deceptive methods. |
| Titus 1:16 | They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. | The disconnect between profession and actual life. |
| Ps 1:3 | He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. | The righteous person is compared to a fruitful tree. |
| Prov 20:11 | Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. | Character revealed through behavior even at a young age. |
| Isa 5:1-7 | My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill... He looked for good grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. | God expects righteous "fruit" from His people. |
| Heb 12:11 | For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. | Suffering or discipline can lead to righteous fruit. |
| Eph 5:9 | (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true) | Describes the characteristics produced by walking in spiritual light. |
| Jude 1:12 | These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted... | False teachers characterized by their barrenness and destructive nature. |
| Rev 22:12 | Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. | Final judgment is based on actions or "fruits." |
Matthew 7 verses
Matthew 7 20 Meaning
This verse serves as a concise summary and reiteration of the preceding verses (Matthew 7:16-19), emphatically stating that a person's true nature, particularly those claiming spiritual authority or representing God, will invariably be revealed through their consistent actions, conduct, character, teachings, and the results of their life, just as a tree is identified by the kind of fruit it consistently produces. It emphasizes observation and long-term evidence over mere outward appearance or profession.
Matthew 7 20 Context
Matthew 7:20 is the culminating statement in a crucial section of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), specifically within His warning against false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20). Jesus describes false prophets as "wolves in sheep's clothing" – appearing benign but inwardly destructive. He then introduces the agricultural metaphor of trees being known by their fruit, contrasting good trees with good fruit and bad trees with bad fruit. This verse firmly reiterates that this agricultural analogy is the reliable principle for discerning the true character of any individual, particularly those who claim spiritual authority. The broader context of the Sermon on the Mount emphasizes genuine inner righteousness and action that aligns with God's will, contrasting it with superficial religiosity and hypocrisy common among some religious leaders of the day.
Matthew 7 20 Word analysis
- So then (Ὥστε - Hōste): This is a strong Greek conjunctive adverb signaling a logical conclusion or result. It indicates that the verse provides the ultimate and definitive takeaway from the preceding illustration of the trees and their fruits (Mt 7:16-19). It translates to "consequently," "therefore," or "as a result." It grounds the abstract metaphor into a concrete principle of discernment.
- you will recognize (ἐπιγνώσεσθε - epiginosesthe): This is the future active indicative form of the verb epiginōskō. Unlike ginōskō (to know), epiginōskō denotes a full, deep, experiential, and accurate knowledge. It implies a thorough discernment, understanding, and recognition that comes from observation and becomes fully clear over time. It’s not just a superficial acquaintance but a profound, verifiable comprehension. The future tense implies that this discernment will indeed happen as a natural and certain consequence.
- them (αὐτούς - autous): This pronoun refers directly to "them," meaning the "false prophets" and misleading individuals that Jesus warned about in Matthew 7:15. However, the principle extends broadly to anyone claiming to be a follower of Christ or a spiritual leader.
- by their fruits (ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν - apo tōn karpōn autōn): This is a core metaphorical phrase in the verse.
- by (ἀπὸ - apo): This preposition indicates the source, basis, or means of recognition. Recognition "comes from" or is made "on the basis of" their fruits.
- their fruits (τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν - tōn karpōn autōn): This is the crucial metaphor. In a biblical context, "fruits" (καρποί - karpoi) represent:
- Consistent Actions and Conduct: How one lives, behaves, and makes decisions on a daily basis. This includes their moral character, integrity, and ethical choices.
- The Results of Their Lives/Teachings: What impact they have on others and on themselves. Do their ministries produce genuine conversion, sanctification, and discipleship in line with God's Word, or do they lead to spiritual barrenness, division, and worldly entanglement?
- Inward Character Revealed Outwardly: "Fruits" are the external manifestation of an internal disposition, revealing what truly resides within a person's heart, whether it is alignment with God's Spirit or something else. They demonstrate allegiance, priorities, and motives.
- Doctrine and Teaching: While not exclusively verbal, consistent "fruit" includes teachings that produce godliness and conform to revealed truth. Do their teachings align with Scripture and promote holiness and Christlikeness?
Matthew 7 20 Bonus section
This verse offers not only a test for discerning others but also a principle for self-examination: "By your fruits you will recognize yourselves." It implies a call to introspect and ensure one's own life bears fruit consistent with true faith in Christ. The principle suggests patience in observation; fruits, both good and bad, often develop and become apparent over time, requiring consistent scrutiny rather than snap judgments based on isolated incidents. This teaching contrasts sharply with outward, performance-based religion by demanding internal transformation that is then expressed in external, verifiable ways. It teaches that authenticity is revealed through consistent behavior and the ultimate results produced by one's character and teachings.
Matthew 7 20 Commentary
Matthew 7:20 is a powerful and timeless principle for spiritual discernment, encapsulating the entire warning about false prophets into a concise, actionable truth. Jesus moves from warning His followers about deceitful appearances ("wolves in sheep's clothing") to providing the infallible criterion for their identification: their consistent life pattern and spiritual output. The emphasis is on tangible evidence and long-term observation rather than immediate impressions, eloquent words, or impressive signs. What one truly is on the inside, in their heart and allegiance, will ultimately be revealed through what they do and the consistent "fruit" their life bears. This applies not just to "prophets" but to anyone claiming Christ's name or spiritual authority. True spiritual connection to God produces "good fruit"—a life marked by Christ-like character (like the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23), obedience, genuine love for God and others, humility, and adherence to biblical truth. Conversely, those not genuinely connected to Christ, or those with ulterior motives, will consistently bear "bad fruit"—self-interest, pride, ungodliness, discord, hypocrisy, or deviation from sound doctrine. It is a call for practical, biblically-rooted evaluation of spiritual claims, focusing on the character and effects, not merely the claims or charisma, of the individual.