MAT 12:33-37

Good and Bad Fruit

33"Either make the tree excellent and its fruit excellent, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten — for the tree is known by its fruit.

34Offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things, being evil? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

35The good man, out of his good treasury, brings forth good things; and the evil man, out of his evil treasury, brings forth evil things.

36But I say to you that every idle word that men speak, they will give an account for it on the day of judgment.

37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

In the world it was spoken into

In a 1st-century Jewish context, the metaphor of trees and fruit would have been familiar from agricultural life and prophetic literature, where fruit symbolized moral character and actions. The distinction between (good/excellent) and (rotten/useless) fruit reflects a worldview where actions reveal inner reality, a concept rooted in Jewish wisdom traditions. The phrase 'offspring of vipers' evokes Isaiah’s imagery of serpents and judgment, suggesting hypocrisy or corruption. The idea that speech flows from the heart’s (overflowing abundance) aligns with Jewish thought, where the heart is the seat of moral and spiritual life. Careless words (, idle/useless) were significant in a culture where speech carried weight, as vows, blessings, and curses were binding. The warning about giving an account for every word reflects Jewish eschatological expectations of divine judgment. This teaching challenges listeners to align their inner character with outward actions, emphasizing integrity in a society where honor and reputation were paramount.

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How other translations render this

MAT 12:33

KJV: 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.
BSB: Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
Koinōnos: Either make the tree excellent and its fruit excellent, or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten — for the tree is known by its fruit.

MAT 12:34

KJV: O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
BSB: You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Koinōnos: Offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things, being evil? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

MAT 12:35

KJV: A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
BSB: The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.
Koinōnos: The good man, out of his good treasury, brings forth good things; and the evil man, out of his evil treasury, brings forth evil things.

MAT 12:36

KJV: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
BSB: But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
Koinōnos: But I say to you that every idle word that men speak, they will give an account for it on the day of judgment.

MAT 12:37

KJV: For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
BSB: For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Koinōnos: For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

MAT 12:33

good:The word translated 'good' here describes something that is inherently beautiful, excellent, and morally upright, often with an aesthetic quality that makes it pleasing to behold.
bad:The word translated 'bad' literally means rotten, putrid, or decayed, often referring to something that is spoiled and therefore useless or harmful.

MAT 12:34

overflow:The word translated 'overflow' refers to an abundance or surplus, something that is left over or in excess, indicating a rich supply beyond what is merely sufficient.

MAT 12:36

careless:The word translated 'careless' literally means idle or inactive, often implying a lack of work or effort, and can suggest something that is unprofitable or useless.