Matthew 7:15
New International Version
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

New Living Translation
“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

English Standard Version
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Berean Standard Bible
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Berean Literal Bible
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

King James Bible
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

New King James Version
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

New American Standard Bible
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

NASB 1995
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

NASB 1977
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Amplified Bible
“Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Christian Standard Bible
“Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.

American Standard Version
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Beware of false Prophets who come to you in lambs' clothing, but from within they are plundering wolves.

Contemporary English Version
Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

English Revised Version
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Beware of false prophets. They come to you disguised as sheep, but in their hearts they are vicious wolves.

Good News Translation
"Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves.

International Standard Version
"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are savage wolves.

Literal Standard Version
But take heed of the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, and inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Majority Standard Bible
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

New American Bible
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.

NET Bible
"Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.

New Revised Standard Version
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

New Heart English Bible
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Webster's Bible Translation
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Weymouth New Testament
"Beware of the false teachers--men who come to you in sheep's fleeces, but beneath that disguise they are ravenous wolves.

World English Bible
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Young's Literal Translation
'But, take heed of the false prophets, who come unto you in sheep's clothing, and inwardly are ravening wolves.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Tree and its Fruit
14But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. 15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?…

Cross References
1 Kings 13:18
Then the prophet replied, "I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.'" The old prophet was lying to him,

Jeremiah 23:16
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

Ezekiel 22:27
Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey, shedding blood, and destroying lives for dishonest gain.

Daniel 11:34
Now when they fall, they will be granted a little help, but many will join them insincerely.

Matthew 7:14
But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 24:11
and many false prophets will arise and mislead many.

Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.


Treasury of Scripture

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Beware.

Matthew 10:17
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

Matthew 16:6,11
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees…

Mark 12:38
And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

false.

Matthew 24:4,5,11,24,25
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you…

Deuteronomy 13:1-3
If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, …

Isaiah 9:15,16
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail…

which.

Zechariah 13:4
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:

Mark 12:38-40
And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, …

Romans 16:17,18
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them…

are.

Isaiah 56:10,11
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber…

Ezekiel 22:25
There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.

Micah 3:5
Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

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Beneath Beware Clothing Cruel Disguise Ferocious Heed Inside Inwardly Prophets Ravening Ravenous Sheep's Teachers Watch Within Wolves
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Beneath Beware Clothing Cruel Disguise Ferocious Heed Inside Inwardly Prophets Ravening Ravenous Sheep's Teachers Watch Within Wolves
Matthew 7
1. Do Not Judge
7. Ask, Seek, Knock
13. Enter through the Narrow Gate
15. A Tree and Its Fruit
24. The Wise and the Foolish Builders
28. Jesus ends his sermon, and the people are astonished.














(15) Beware of false prophets.--The sequence again is below the surface. How was the narrow way to be found? Who would act as guide? Many would offer their help who would simply lead men to the destruction which they sought to escape. Such teachers, claiming authority as inspired, there had been in the days of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and there would be again. The true gift of prophecy is always followed by its counterfeit. Even at the time when our Lord was speaking, the influence of such men as Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:37), Theudas, and other popular leaders, was still fresh in men's memories.

Which come to you in sheep's clothing.--The illustration implies something like the conception of the wolf disguising himself as a sheep in order to gain entrance into the fold. So far a special feature is added to the general allegory of John 10:12 and Acts 20:29. It is possible, though not, I think, probable, that there may be some allusion to the "rough garments," the "sheep-skins and goat-skins" of Hebrews 11:37, worn by false prophets of the hermit or ascetic type.

Verses 15-23. - Matthew only in this form, though most of the separate verses have much matter common to other passages; viz.: vers. 16, 18, parallel with Luke 6:43, 44, cf. also infra, Matthew 12:33; ver. 19, cf. Matthew 3:10; ver. 21, cf. Luke 6:46; ver. 22, cf. Luke 13:26; ver. 23, parallel with Luke 13:27. (For the connexion of these verses, cf. ver. 13, note.) Verse 15. - Matthew only. Beware. The warning against being led from the right entrance and the right way is all the more emphatic for there being no adversative particle in the true text. Beware of false prophets. The whole class of them (τῶν). Not, observe, "false teachers" (2 Peter 2:1), as though these persons only falsely interpreted fundamental truths, but "false prophets," as falsely claiming to bring messages from God. They claim to bring from God the true message of salvation, but their claim is false. These were doubtless found, at the time that our Lord spoke the words, especially among the Pharisees; but when St. Matthew recorded them, chiefly among Christians, either on the Jewish or on the Gnostic side (Colossians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:20, 21; cf. also 1 John 4:1 and 'Did.,' § 12.). Which; qualitative (οἵτινες); seeing that they. Come unto you in sheep's clothing. In, as it were, the skins of sheep (ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων), professing simplicity and gentleness, and (for, perhaps, this thought is also included) claiming to be members of God's true flock. Externally they are all this, but at heart they are something very different. But inwardly they are ravening wolves. The thought of "ravening" (ἅρπαγες) is of both violence and greed. These false prophets are not merely wicked at heart and opposed to the truth, but they wish to injure you, and that for their own gain (cf Galatians 6:13). "Of the ravenousness of wolves among the Jewes, take these two examples besides others. The elders proclaimed a fast in their cities upon this occasion, because the wolves had devoured two little children beyond Jordan. More than three hundred sheep of the sons of Judah ben Shamoe were torn by wolves" (Lightfoot, 'Hor. Hebr.;' cf. Ezekiel 34:4, on false shepherds).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Beware
Προσέχετε (Prosechete)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4337: From pros and echo; to hold the mind towards, i.e. Pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to, adhere to.

of
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

false prophets.
ψευδοπροφητῶν (pseudoprophētōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 5578: From pseudes and prophetes; a spurious prophet, i.e. Pretended foreteller or religious impostor.

[They]
οἵτινες (hoitines)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

come
ἔρχονται (erchontai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

sheep’s
προβάτων (probatōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 4263: A sheep. Probably neuter of a presumed derivative of probaino; something that walks forward, i.e., a sheep.

clothing,
ἐνδύμασιν (endymasin)
Noun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 1742: A garment, raiment, clothing. From enduo; apparel.

but
δέ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

inwardly
ἔσωθεν (esōthen)
Adverb
Strong's 2081: From eso; from inside; also used as equivalent to eso.

they are
εἰσιν (eisin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

ravenous
ἅρπαγες (harpages)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 727: Rapacious, ravenous; a robber, an extortioner. From harpazo; rapacious.

wolves.
λύκοι (lykoi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3074: A wolf, of perhaps a jackal; often applied to persons of wolfish proclivities. Perhaps akin to the base of leukos; a wolf.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets who come (Matt. Mat Mt)
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