The Meaning of Matthew 7:17 Explained

Matthew 7:17

KJV: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

YLT: so every good tree doth yield good fruits, but the bad tree doth yield evil fruits.

Darby: So every good tree produces good fruits, but the worthless tree produces bad fruits.

ASV: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Even so  every  good  tree  bringeth forth  good  fruit;  but  a corrupt  tree  bringeth forth  evil  fruit. 

What does Matthew 7:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 7:13-23 - Seeking Life Testing Leaders
The world is full of shams. Counterfeit coins circulate; paste jewels are worn. Let us take heed against a counterfeit religion. It betrays itself thus:
(1) It does not involve the denial of self. Our Lord compares this to entrance by a strait gate and walking on a narrow path. It is the way of the Cross. We must say "No" to the "I" life which is seated in our soul and which must be ruthlessly denied. We must say of it as Peter did of Jesus, "I do not know the man." The way of self-indulgence begins on a primrose path and ends in a wilderness. The path of self-denial is steep and difficult at the start, but leads to a paradise of joy.
(2) It does not produce good fruit. The worth of the gospel has been attested all down the ages by the characters which it has produced and which have been the world's salt and light. No other teaching has produced such results. Here is the supreme test. There are many new systems of theology, many nostrums are being loudly advertised, but the one test of them all is in the fruit they bear. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Matthew 7:17 mean?

So every tree good fruits good produces - but the bad bad
οὕτως πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν πονηροὺς

οὕτως  So 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
πᾶν  every 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
δένδρον  tree 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: δένδρον  
Sense: a tree.
ἀγαθὸν  good 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ἀγαθός 
Sense: of good constitution or nature.
καρποὺς  fruits 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: καρπός  
Sense: fruit.
καλοὺς  good 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: καλός  
Sense: beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
ποιεῖ  produces 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σαπρὸν  the  bad 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: σαπρός  
Sense: rotten, putrefied.
πονηροὺς  bad 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: πονηρός  
Sense: full of labours, annoyances, hardships.