“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just saying that actions reveal character; he's pointing out the Pharisees' willful dishonesty. They know his works are good, yet they accuse him of evil, forcing them to either acknowledge his goodness or admit that "good" things can come from the devil—a logical bind they desperately want to avoid.
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just cast out a demon from a man, and the religious leaders, unable to deny the evidence, accuse him of doing so by the power of Satan. Jesus responds by using the parable of the tree and its fruit to show the illogic of their accusation, arguing that good fruit cannot come from a bad source. He’s pushing them to be consistent: either acknowledge his works are good and therefore he is good, or call his works evil and thus acknowledge their own hypocrisy.
Ever feel like your actions don't quite match your intentions? Jesus lays down a non-negotiable principle here: the source and the output must align. There's no faking it!
Jesus is using a common-sense analogy: you can't have an apple tree producing oranges. The fruit always reveals the true nature of the tree.
He's speaking to the religious leaders who are witnessing His powerful miracles – healing the sick, casting out demons – yet they're accusing Him of being in league with the devil. Jesus' point is sharp:
Jesus tells us how we're truly identified. It's not by our claims, our reputation, or our religious performance, but by something much more revealing.
The end of the verse drives home the point: '…for the tree is known by its fruit.' This isn't just a nice saying; it's a profound truth about identity and evidence.
Ask a follow-up
Think about it:
Understand the original words
dendron · Greek Noun
Used metaphorically, it represents the inner life or the essential nature of a person, from which actions proceed. A 'good' tree implies a transformed or righteous state, while a 'bad' tree implies a corrupt or unregenerate state.
karpos · Greek Noun
The outward actions, words, or character outcomes that naturally flow from one's inner nature. It serves as the primary evidence of the state of the heart.
This passage presents the same proverb, directly stating that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree bear good fruit, reinforcing the idea that nature and character are consistent.
Matthew 7:17This verse from the Sermon on the Mount reiterates the principle that good trees bear good fruit and bad trees bear bad fruit, underscoring the inherent connection between inner character and outward actions.
Romans 11:16This passage uses the imagery of the firstfruits (representing the tree) determining the character of the whole lump (representing the fruit), offering a similar concept of an initial element defining the entirety.
1 Samuel 16:7While different in imagery, this verse highlights that God looks at the heart, not outward appearances, which aligns with Jesus' argument that the inner disposition (the tree) determines the outward actions (the fruit).
barnesMatthew 12:33: "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit."
Either make ... - The fact asserted in this verse is, that a tree is known, not by its leaves, or bark, or form, but by its fruit. The application to the argument is this: "You are to judge of man's being in league with Satan by his works. If my doctrines and works be properly the works of Satan, then I am corrupt; if not, then your charge is…
bensonMatthew 12:33: "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit."
Matthew 12:33-35. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good, &c. — That is, you must allow they are both good, or both bad: for if the fruit be good, so is the tree; if the fruit be evil, so is the tree also. “Judge, therefore, by my works, of the power by which I work: if it be not a good work to heal the sick, and blind, and lame, and ca…
Jesus isn't just saying that actions reveal character; he's pointing out the Pharisees' willful dishonesty. They know his works are good, yet they accuse him of evil, forcing them to either acknowledge his goodness or admit that "good" things can come from the devil—a logical bind they desperately want to avoid.
Jesus has just cast out a demon from a man, and the religious leaders, unable to deny the evidence, accuse him of doing so by the power of Satan. Jesus responds by using the parable of the tree and its fruit to show the illogic of their accusation, arguing that good fruit cannot come from a bad source. He’s pushing them to be consistent: either acknowledge his works are good and therefore he is good, or call his works evil and thus acknowledge their own hypocrisy.
Jesus has just cast out a demon from a man, and the religious leaders, unable to deny the evidence, accuse him of doing so by the power of Satan. Jesus responds by using the parable of the tree and its fruit to show the illogic of their accusation, arguing that good fruit cannot come from a bad source. He’s pushing them to be consistent: either acknowledge his works are good and therefore he is good, or call his works evil and thus acknowledge their own hypocrisy.
"“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit." — Jesus isn't just saying that actions reveal character; he's pointing out the Pharisees' willful dishonesty. They know his works are good, yet they accuse him of evil, forcing them to either acknowl…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026