Discovery BoxMatthew 7:15-23 
Context7:15 “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. 1 7:16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered 2 from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? 3 7:17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad 4 tree bears bad fruit. 7:18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 7:20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.
7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ 5 will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 7:22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do 6 many powerful deeds?’ 7:23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’ 7
Matthew 12:33-37
Context12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad 8 and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 12:34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 12:35 The good person 9 brings good things out of his 10 good treasury, 11 and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 12:36 I 12 tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
1 sn Sheep’s clothing…voracious wolves. Jesus uses a metaphor here to point out that these false prophets appear to be one thing, but in reality they are something quite different and dangerous.
2 tn Grk “They do not gather.” This has been simplified to the passive voice in the translation since the subject “they” is not specified further in the context.
3 sn The statement illustrates the principle: That which cannot produce fruit does not produce fruit.
4 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying “tree” in both v. 17 and 18, can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
5 sn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.
6 tn Grk “and in your name do.” This phrase was not repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
7 tn Grk “workers of lawlessness.”
8 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying both “tree” and “fruit,” can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
9 tn The Greek text reads here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos). The term is generic referring to any person.
10 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here and in the following clause (“his evil treasury”) as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
11 sn The treasury here is a metaphorical reference to a person’s heart (cf. BDAG 456 s.v. θησαυρός 1.b and the parallel passage in Luke 6:45).
12 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
