# Matthew 7.12

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent?</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.</span>**
>
> 13. <span class="rl-speech">Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.</span> (Matthew 7:10-14, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.</span>**
>
> 13. <span class="rl-speech">“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.</span> (Matthew 7:10-14, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.</span>**
>
> 13. <span class="rl-speech">Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: <sup>strait: or, narrow</sup></span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. <sup>Because: or, How</sup></span> (Matthew 7:10-14, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">and if a fish he may ask, a serpent will he present to him?</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">if, therefore, ye being evil, have known good gifts to give to your children, how much more shall your Father who [is] in the heavens give good things to those asking him?</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">'All things, therefore, whatever ye may will that men may be doing to you, so also do to them, for this is the law and the prophets.</span>**
>
> 13. <span class="rl-speech">'Go ye in through the strait gate, because wide [is] the gate, and broad the way that is leading to the destruction, and many are those going in through it;</span> 14. <span class="rl-speech">how strait [is] the gate, and compressed the way that is leading to the life, and few are those finding it!</span> (Matthew 7:10-14, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Religious Pluralism Objection Defeater](/codex/religious-pluralism-objection-defeater/)

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 7](/codex/matthew-7/)
- [Sermon on the Mount](/codex/sermon-on-the-mount/), via [Matthew 7](/codex/matthew-7/), [Matthew 7.1-14](/codex/matthew-7-1-14/)

**Passages:**

- [Micah 6.8](/codex/micah-6-8/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.