Matthew 7 · Matthew 8
1ScriptureRead verse by verse
The narrow gate
Matthew 7:13-14- 13Enter 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:
- 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
True and false prophets
Matthew 7:15-20- 15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
- 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
- 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
- 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
- 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
- 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
True and false disciples
Matthew 7:21-23- 21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
- 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
- 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The wise and foolish builders
Matthew 7:24-29- 24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
- 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
- 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
- 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
- 28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
- 29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Jesus cleanses a leper
Matthew 8:1-4- 1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
- 2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
- 3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
- 4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
The centurion's faith
Matthew 8:5-13- 5And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
- 6And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
- 7And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
- 8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
- 9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
- 10When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
- 11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
- 12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- 13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Jesus heals many
Matthew 8:14-17- 14And when Jesus was come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother laid, and sick of a fever.
- 15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
- 16When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
- 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
The cost of following Jesus
Matthew 8:18-22- 18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
- 19And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
- 20And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
- 21And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
- 22But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
Jesus calms the storm
Matthew 8:23-27- 23And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
- 24And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
- 25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
- 26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
- 27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
2Study & notable factsPeople, places, numbers, parallels
Important events, in order
- 1The strait gate and the narrow way (7:13–14)
- 2Beware false prophets — known by their fruits (7:15–20)
- 3“Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord” (7:21–23)
- 4The wise and foolish builders (7:24–27)
- 5The crowds are astonished at Jesus' authority (7:28–29)
- 6Jesus cleanses a leper (8:1–4)
- 7The centurion's servant healed from afar (8:5–13)
- 8Peter's mother-in-law healed of a fever (8:14–17)
- 9The cost of following Jesus (8:18–22)
- 10Jesus calms the storm (8:23–27)
Key facts
Key statement
“Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”
Matthew 8:10
Who said it
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
— Jesus · 7:15
“Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”
— the centurion to Jesus · 8:8
“The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
— Jesus to a scribe · 8:20
“Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?”
— Jesus to his disciples · 8:26
By passage — type & parallels
- The narrow gateMatthew 7:13-14
- True and false prophetsMatthew 7:15-20
- True and false disciplesMatthew 7:21-23
- The wise and foolish buildersMatthew 7:24-29
- Jesus cleanses a leperMatthew 8:1-4MiracleMaMaLuJo
- The centurion's faithMatthew 8:5-13MiracleMaMaLuJo
- Jesus heals manyMatthew 8:14-17MiracleMaMaLuJo
- The cost of following JesusMatthew 8:18-22
- Jesus calms the stormMatthew 8:23-27MiracleMaMaLuJo
Highlighted abbreviations show which Gospels record the same event.
Easily-confused distinctives
- ▸Two builders, two gates, two kinds of prophets — Matthew 7 is full of paired contrasts.
- ▸The centurion (a Gentile) shows greater faith than Israel — a foretaste of the gospel going to the nations.
KJV word helps
- strait
- narrow (not “straight”)
- ravening
- ravenous, greedily devouring
- palsy
- paralysis
3Quiz20 questions
“Enter ye in at the ___ gate.”
Matthew 7:13
Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to ___.
Matthew 7:13
False prophets come in ___ clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:15
“Ye shall know them by their ___.”
Matthew 7:16
“Not every one that saith unto me, ___, ___, shall enter the kingdom.”
Matthew 7:21
To the workers of iniquity Jesus will say, “I never ___ you.”
Matthew 7:23
The wise man built his house upon a ___.
Matthew 7:24
The foolish man built his house upon the ___.
Matthew 7:26
The people were astonished because Jesus taught as one having ___.
Matthew 7:29
The leper said, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me ___.”
Matthew 8:2
Jesus told the cleansed leper to show himself to the ___.
Matthew 8:4
Where did the centurion come to Jesus?
Matthew 8:5
The centurion's servant was sick of the ___.
Matthew 8:6
The centurion said, “speak the ___ only, and my servant shall be healed.”
Matthew 8:8
Of the centurion Jesus said, “I have not found so great ___, no, not in Israel.”
Matthew 8:10
Whose mother was sick of a fever in Matthew 8?
Matthew 8:14
“The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the ___ hath not where to lay his head.”
Matthew 8:20
“Follow me; and let the ___ bury their dead.”
Matthew 8:22
During the storm the disciples cried, “Lord, save us: we ___.”
Matthew 8:25
After the calm the men said, “What manner of ___ is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!”
Matthew 8:27