Matthew 7:16-17
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Jesus highlights that just as you can't get grapes from a thornbush, false teachers won't produce genuine goodness from their corrupted core. The crucial point is that this "fruit" isn't just about doctrines, but the entire life and conduct flowing from their inner being, which will inevitably reveal their true nature.
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 his followers to "beware of false prophets" who appear harmless but are dangerous inwardly. He's instructing them on how to discern these deceptive figures, emphasizing that their true nature will eventually be revealed not by their eloquent words or outward piety, but by the actual outcomes and character demonstrated through their lives.
False teachers might sound convincing, but Jesus says there's a deeper way to tell them apart. It's not just about what they say, but what they do.
Jesus uses a powerful image here: you can't get grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles. It’s a common-sense observation about nature.
In spiritual terms, this means that genuine faith and teaching will produce a certain kind of 'fruit.' This fruit isn't just doctrine; it's the outward evidence of a transformed life.
Jesus uses a specific word that means more than just casual recognition. He's talking about a deep, reliable understanding.
The Greek word Jesus uses, 'epignōse (επιγνωσεσθε),' signifies a full, accurate, and complete knowledge. It's not a guess or a hunch, but a certainty gained through observation.
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Understand the original words
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 passage directly states that a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit, echoing Jesus' analogy in Matthew 7:16 about recognizing nature by its produce.
Luke 6:44This parallel account of Jesus' teaching uses the same 'recognizable by their fruit' principle, showing it was a consistent theme in His ministry about discerning genuine character.
Galatians 5:19-23This passage contrasts the 'works of the flesh' with the 'fruit of the Spirit,' providing a clear biblical example of the two kinds of 'fruit'—bad and good—that reveal a person's true nature, just as Jesus describes.
1 John 4:1This verse urges believers to test the spirits to see if they are from God, directly linking to Jesus' instruction in Matthew 7 to discern false prophets by their fruits, implying an active discernment is needed.
James 3:12James uses a similar natural analogy, asking if a fig tree can produce olives or a grapevine figs, reinforcing the idea that genuine nature (whether of a tree or a person) produces consistent, characteristic results, aligning with Jesus' point.
vincentMatthew 7:16: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
Ye shall know (ἐπιγνώσεσθε)The compound verb indicates full knowledge. Character is satisfactorily tested by its fruits.
clarkeMatthew 7:16: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
Ye shall know them by their fruits - Fruits, in the Scripture and Jewish phraseology, are taken for works of any kind. "A man's works," says one, "are the tongue of his heart, and tell honestly whether he is inwardly corrupt or pure." By these works you may distinguish (επιγνωσεσθε) these ravenous wolves from true pastors. The judgment formed of a man by his general conduct is a safe one: if…
Jesus highlights that just as you can't get grapes from a thornbush, false teachers won't produce genuine goodness from their corrupted core. The crucial point is that this "fruit" isn't just about doctrines, but the entire life and conduct flowing from their inner being, which will inevitably reveal their true nature.
Jesus has just warned his followers to "beware of false prophets" who appear harmless but are dangerous inwardly. He's instructing them on how to discern these deceptive figures, emphasizing that their true nature will eventually be revealed not by their eloquent words or outward piety, but by the actual outcomes and character demonstrated through their lives.
Jesus has just warned his followers to "beware of false prophets" who appear harmless but are dangerous inwardly. He's instructing them on how to discern these deceptive figures, emphasizing that their true nature will eventually be revealed not by their eloquent words or outward piety, but by the actual outcomes and character demonstrated through their lives.
"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." — Jesus highlights that just as you can't get grapes from a thornbush, false teachers won't produce genuine goodness from their corrupted core. The crucial point is that this "fruit" isn't just about d…
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Last reviewed October 2026
