Matthew 7:16

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

You can recognize them by their fruit [i.e., by what their lives produce]. Do people harvest grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistle weeds?

Cross References

Matthew 12:33

Either be a healthy tree and produce wholesome fruit, or be a diseased tree and produce rotten fruit, for [the quality of] a tree will be recognized by [the quality of] its fruit.

Matthew 7:20

Therefore, you will recognize them [i.e., prophets] by their fruit [i.e., by what their lives produce].

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,

James 2:18

But someone may say, “You have faith and I have [good] deeds.” [I reply], show me your faith without your [good] deeds, and I will show you my faith by my [good] deeds.

James 3:12

My brothers, can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine [produce] figs? Neither can a salt water [spring] produce fresh water.