16. You will know these people because of the things they do. Good things don’t come from bad people, just as grapes don’t come from thornbushes. And figs don’t come from thorny weeds.
17. In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit. And bad trees produce bad fruit.
18. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit. And a bad tree cannot produce good fruit.
19. Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20. You will know these false prophets by what they produce.
21. “Not everyone who says ‘You are my Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. The only people who will enter the kingdom of heaven are those who do the things that my Father in heaven wants.
22. On the last day many people will say to me, ‘You are our Lord! We spoke for you. And through you we forced out demons and did many miracles.’
23. Then I will tell them clearly, ‘Get away from me, you who do evil. I never knew you.’
24. “Everyone who hears these things I say and obeys them is like a wise man. The wise man built his house on rock.
25. It rained hard and the water rose. The winds blew and hit that house. But the house did not fall, because the house was built on rock.
26. But the person who hears the things I teach and does not obey them is like a foolish man. The foolish man built his house on sand.
27. It rained hard, the water rose, and the winds blew and hit that house. And the house fell with a big crash.”