# Matthew 7.15

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-03 | updated: 2026-06-03 -->

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

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 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>
>
> **15. <span class="rl-speech">Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.</span>**
>
> 16. <span class="rl-speech">By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.</span> (Matthew 7:13-17, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 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>
>
> **15. <span class="rl-speech">“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.</span>**
>
> 16. <span class="rl-speech">By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">Even so, every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.</span> (Matthew 7:13-17, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 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>
>
> **15. <span class="rl-speech">Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.</span>**
>
> 16. <span class="rl-speech">Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?</span> 17. <span class="rl-speech">Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.</span> (Matthew 7:13-17, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 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>
>
> **15. <span class="rl-speech">'But, take heed of the false prophets, who come unto you in sheep'</span>s clothing, and inwardly are ravening wolves.**
>
> 16. From their fruits ye shall know them; do [men] gather from thorns grapes? or from thistles figs? 17. so every good tree doth yield good fruits, but the bad tree doth yield evil fruits. (Matthew 7:13-17, 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:**

- [Christians Cannot Judge Objection Defeater](/codex/christians-cannot-judge-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 7.15-20](/codex/matthew-7-15-20/)
- [Did Jesus Send Muhammad Dilemma Argument](/codex/did-jesus-send-muhammad-dilemma-argument/)
- [No True Scotsman Charge Defeater](/codex/no-true-scotsman-charge-defeater/), via [Matthew 7.15-23](/codex/matthew-7-15-23/)
- [Paul Invented Christianity Objection Defeater](/codex/paul-invented-christianity-objection-defeater/)

**Concepts:**

- [Christian Discernment](/codex/christian-discernment/), via [Matthew 7.15-20](/codex/matthew-7-15-20/), [Matthew 7.15-23](/codex/matthew-7-15-23/)
- [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 7.15-23](/codex/matthew-7-15-23/)
- [Spirit of Deception](/codex/spirit-of-deception/)

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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.