Matthew 7:15-17
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The shocking truth here isn't just about deception, but that these false teachers aren't just wrong, they are actively predatory. Their "sheep's clothing" is a disguise to "devour" the flock, meaning they're not just misguided but dangerous, seeking to exploit and destroy souls for their own gain.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just warned against judging others and has emphasized the narrow gate leading to life, contrasting it with the broad path leading to destruction. Now, He shifts to warn His followers about deceptive spiritual leaders who present a harmless facade while secretly aiming to exploit and harm the flock. These false prophets, masquerading as one of them, pose a significant threat to those seeking the narrow way.
Jesus gives a stark warning: not everyone who looks like a sheep is part of the flock. How can we discern the wolves hiding among us?
Jesus uses a powerful image here: 'sheep's clothing.' This isn't just about outward appearance; it's about a deliberate deception.
A Cloak of Piety
False prophets present themselves with an air of holiness, sincerity, and innocence, much like the sheep that belong to the shepherd. They might use religious language, quote Scripture, and even perform religious acts. This 'sheep's clothing' is designed to make them appear trustworthy and harmless, drawing people in.
The Hidden Danger
But Jesus immediately contrasts this outward appearance with their true nature: 'inwardly they are ravenous wolves.' Wolves are predators, driven by greed and a desire to destroy the flock for their own benefit. They don't care for the sheep; they want to devour them. This imagery highlights the deadly spiritual danger these false teachers pose.
Jesus offers a practical way to identify these dangerous deceivers. It's not about guesswork, but about observation.
The immediate follow-up to Jesus' warning in the broader context of Matthew 7 is about discernment through 'fruits.' While this verse itself doesn't explicitly state 'by their fruits,' it sets the stage for that critical teaching.
The Test of Conduct and Doctrine
Ask a follow-up
False prophets, despite their outward guise, cannot hide their true nature forever. Their 'fruits' reveal them. These fruits are the outcomes of their teaching and their lives.
Understand the original words
pseudoprophētōn · Greek Noun
Individuals who claim to speak for God but promote doctrines or behaviors contrary to His revealed truth. They are inherently deceptive and lead others away from salvation.
lykoi harpages · Greek Noun phrase
A predatory animal often used as a metaphor for individuals or forces that violently attack, exploit, or consume the vulnerable flock of God for their own gain.
epiginōskō · Greek Verb
To identify, distinguish, or perceive the nature of something or someone. In this context, it refers to the spiritual discernment required to identify true believers from false prophets.
karpos · Greek Noun
The external actions, character, or results produced by a person's life. In a theological sense, it refers to the evidence of the Holy Spirit's transforming work within a believer.
akantha · Greek Noun
A prickly or thorny plant; metaphorically used in Scripture to represent something worthless, unproductive, or indicative of the curse of the Fall.
tribolos · Greek Noun
A plant species noted for its prickly nature, often symbolic of unproductive labor or the consequences of living apart from God's blessing.
agathos · Greek Adjective
Used metaphorically to describe a person's inner moral or spiritual condition. A healthy tree represents a person regenerated by God, producing righteous deeds.
sapros · Greek Adjective
Refers to moral or spiritual corruption. In this context, it describes the inner state of those who are spiritually dead or hypocritical, inevitably resulting in sinful conduct.
This warning wasn't just a general caution; it was rooted in a history of religious deception within Israel and became a crucial directive for the early church facing internal and external threats to its authentic faith.
c. 8th-7th century BC
False prophecy condemned
Prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel condemned those who claimed divine authority to speak smooth words or offer false hope, comparing them to shepherds who destroy instead of feed the flock. This established a historical precedent for warning against deceptive religious leaders.
c. 1st century BC
Pharisaic influence grows
The influential Pharisee movement emphasized strict adherence to the Law and oral traditions, often presenting themselves as righteous guides. Jesus frequently challenged their hypocrisy and legalistic interpretations that burdened people and missed the heart of God's commands.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, including this warning against false prophets. This teaching was directed at his disciples and the crowds who were seeking authentic spiritual guidance in a time of religious confusion and competing claims to authority.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' ministry and confrontations
Throughout his ministry, Jesus directly confronted false teachers, particularly the religious elite, exposing their inner corruption despite their outward piety. This cemented the practical application of his warning in the eyes of his followers.
c. AD 60-65
Paul warns the Ephesian elders
The Apostle Paul warned the elders of Ephesus that “grievous wolves” would enter the church, not sparing the flock, and that even among them, men would arise speaking twisted things to draw disciples away. This shows the ongoing relevance of Jesus' warning within the early church.
c. AD 90-100
John warns against false prophets
The Apostle John, in his epistles, provides further instruction on discerning true from false spirits and prophets, emphasizing that their doctrines and actions reveal their true allegiance, echoing Jesus' own criteria. This demonstrates the continued concern for false teaching in the post-apostolic era.
This passage directly parallels the imagery of false prophets plastering walls and offering deceptive peace, much like the 'sheep's clothing' that hides the inner wolf.
Acts 20:29Paul warns the Ephesian elders about 'fierce wolves' entering the flock, echoing Jesus' warning about the destructive nature hidden beneath a gentle exterior.
2 Peter 2:1Peter describes false teachers who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and deny their master, aligning with the idea of hidden danger and deception inherent in false prophets.
1 John 4:1John urges believers to test the spirits to see if they are from God, providing a crucial method for discerning the true nature of those who claim divine authority, much like Jesus' teaching on knowing them by their fruits.
bensonMatthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
Matthew 7:15-16 . Beware of false prophets — Who in their preaching describe a broad way to heaven: it is their prophesying, their teaching the broad way, rather than walking in it themselves, that is here chiefly spoken of. All those are false prophets who teach any other way than that which our Lord hath here marked out. Who come to you in sheep’s clothing — With a form of g…
clarkeMatthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
Beware of false prophets - By false prophets we are to understand teachers of erroneous doctrines, who come professing a commission from God, but whose aim is not to bring the heavenly treasure to the people, but rather to rob them of their earthly good. Teachers who preach for hire, having no motive to enter into the ministry but to get a living, as it is ominously called by…
The shocking truth here isn't just about deception, but that these false teachers aren't just wrong, they are actively predatory. Their "sheep's clothing" is a disguise to "devour" the flock, meaning they're not just misguided but dangerous, seeking to exploit and destroy souls for their own gain.
Jesus has just warned against judging others and has emphasized the narrow gate leading to life, contrasting it with the broad path leading to destruction. Now, He shifts to warn His followers about deceptive spiritual leaders who present a harmless facade while secretly aiming to exploit and harm the flock. These false prophets, masquerading as one of them, pose a significant threat to those seeking the narrow way.
Jesus has just warned against judging others and has emphasized the narrow gate leading to life, contrasting it with the broad path leading to destruction. Now, He shifts to warn His followers about deceptive spiritual leaders who present a harmless facade while secretly aiming to exploit and harm the flock. These false prophets, masquerading as one of them, pose a significant threat to those seeking the narrow way.
"“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit,…" — The shocking truth here isn't just about deception, but that these false teachers aren't just wrong, they are actively predatory. Their "sheep's clothing" is a disguise to "devour" the flock, meani…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
