
Picture description: By their fruits you will know them
Picture copyright: V. Gilbert and Arlisle F. Beers
bible verse
“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20) King James Version
meaning
This expression came to mean someone’s ill intention is easily recognizable from his or her deeds.
origin and application
In his famous sermon on Mount Beatitudes, Jesus cautioned the crowds to beware of false prophets. A true prophet is one who preaches truth according to the Bible and faithful to Jesus’s teachings. A false prophet may come under the guise of a godly man whose sayings may sway from Christian doctrine. Their fruits, or deeds, are recognizable and should be “cast into the fire”.