Matthew 7 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

Do not judge — the speck and the log 7:1–6

vv. 1–2 — the prohibition and its measure-for-measure ground

Do not judge,independent — asyndeton opens the movement — present prohibition: no settled practice of condemning

so that you may not be judged;purpose — divine passive — the unnamed judge is God at the eschaton

for with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged,cause — lex talionis maxim — the relative attracted into the ἐν-phrase

and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.cause — the rabbinic measure-for-measure (middah) proverb — divine passive again

vv. 3–5 — the speck and the log: the hypocrite's cure

Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye,independent — the prohibition dramatized — κάρφος, a mote of straw; the address narrows to the singular

but do not notice the log in your own eye?independent — coordinate half of the question — δοκός, a roof-beam; the grotesque hyperbole fronted

Or how will you say to your brother,independent — second rhetorical question — the speech-frame for the absurd offer

'Let me take the speck out of your eye,'content — permissive Ἄφες + subjunctive — the log-eyed man volunteers eye-surgery

while behold, the log is in your own eye?independent — verbless ἰδού-circumstance completing the question — the incongruity in one glance

You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,independent — vocative of rebuke — ὑποκριτής, the play-actor; πρῶτον sets the priority of self-judgment

and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.independent — the resolution — διαβλέπω, cleared sight; the brother is still to be helped, not abandoned

v. 6 — the guarding proverb: the holy before dogs and swine

Do not give what is holy to the dogs,independent — the counterweight to v. 1 — discernment is not abolished; τὸ ἅγιον perhaps sacrificial meat

nor throw your pearls before the swine,independent — the parallel prohibition — pearls (cf. 13:45–46) before the paradigmatically unclean

lest they trample them under their feetpurpose — the feared outcome — μήποτε with future indicative; the proverb reads chiastically (swine trample, dogs turn)

and turn and tear you to pieces.purpose — coordinate in the μήποτε-clause — ῥήγνυμι, the rending of a wild beast

Ask, seek, knock — the Father's good gifts 7:7–11

vv. 7–8 — the triple imperative and its universal ground

Ask,independent — durative present imperative — keep asking

and it will be given to you;independent — imperative + καί + future = promise; divine passive

seek,independent — the second imperative — the escalating triad

and you will find;independent — the paired promise

knock,independent — the third imperative — the door-image anticipates the gate of v. 13

and it will be opened to you.independent — divine passive — God opens

For everyone who asks receives,cause — grounds the whole triple promise — hung on the last promise-verb; πᾶς universalizes

and the one who seeks finds,cause — the second gnomic pair

and to the one who knocks it will be opened.cause — the third pair — the future kept for the knocker

vv. 9–11 — the a fortiori from human fathers

Or what man is there among you,independent — the argument from fatherhood opens — τίς expects 'no one'

whom his son will ask for bread —relative — double-accusative αἰτέω — the supposed case inside the relative

surely he will not give him a stone?independent — μή expects 'no' — the stone that merely resembles a loaf

Or again, if he asks for a fish,conditional — paratactic supposed case (future indicative as virtual protasis) — leans forward on ἐπιδώσει

surely he will not give him a serpent?independent — the second μή-question — the serpent, a dangerous counterfeit

If then you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children,conditional — first-class protasis — πονηροὶ ὄντες concessive, fallen nature assumed in passing

how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!independent — the a fortiori payoff (πόσῳ μᾶλλον) — Luke 11:13 specifies the ἀγαθά as the Holy Spirit

The Golden Rule — the Law and the Prophets 7:12

So all things, whatever you wishrelative — fronted indefinite-relative object — leans forward on ποιεῖτε; οὖν gathers up the Sermon's ethics

that people would do to you,content — ἵνα-object clause of θέλητε — the wish spelled out

so also do to them;independent — the positive Golden Rule — οὕτως resumes the fronted Πάντα

for this is the Law and the Prophets.cause — the verdict — the maxim as the sum of Scripture (cf. 22:40), closing the inclusio with 5:17

The narrow gate and the two ways 7:13–14

Enter through the narrow gate;independent — ingressive aorist — the decisive entry; the sermon turns to its closing warnings

for wide is the gate and broad the way that leads away to destruction,cause — verbless grounds — ἡ πύλη read though a few witnesses omit it; ἀπώλεια, eschatological ruin

and many are those who enter through it;cause — the thronged road — πολλοί against the ὀλίγοι to come

how narrow is the gate and constricted the way that leads to life,cause — exclamatory τί printed where editions divide over ὅτι — τεθλιμμένη carries the θλῖψις-overtone; verbless

and few are those who find it.cause — εὑρίσκοντες — the way to life must be sought (v. 7's ζητεῖτε); the sobering close

False prophets known by their fruits 7:15–20

vv. 15–16a — the warning and the test

Beware of the false prophets,independent — durative imperative — stay on guard; the narrow way has misleading guides

who come to you in sheep's clothing,relative — qualitative ὅστις — the disguise of the flock

but inwardly are ravenous wolves.relative — coordinate with ἔρχονται inside the relative — the outside/inside antithesis

By their fruits you will know them.independent — the diagnostic principle — fronted ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν; ἐπιγινώσκω, discern for what they are

vv. 16b–20 — the nature-proverbs and the refrain

Do people gather grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?independent — μήτι expects 'no' — impersonal gnomic present; false sources yield no true produce

So every good tree bears good fruit,independent — the analogy generalized — nature determines produce

but the rotten tree bears bad fruit.independent — the antithesis — σαπρός, rotten, worthless

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,independent — the principle as impossibility — οὐ δύναται, settled incapacity

nor a rotten tree bear good fruit.independent — elliptical — δύναται carried over; the two natures mutually exclusive

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut downindependent — the fire-verdict — verbatim John the Baptist (3:10): the Sermon takes up the herald's axe

and is thrown into the fire.independent — gnomic passives — the judgment as standing law

So then, by their fruits you will know them.independent — inferential refrain (ἄρα γε) — v. 16a repeated as inclusio around the proverbs

Not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' 7:21–23

v. 21 — saying against doing

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven,independent — οὐ πᾶς — confession alone does not admit; the doubled vocative kept inside its clause

but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.independent — elliptical antithesis — εἰσελεύσεται supplied; ποιεῖν again, and the first 'my Father' of the Gospel's discourse

vv. 22–23 — the Day: the plea and the verdict

Many will say to me on that day,independent — the eschatological scene — πολλοί (the broad way's word), ἐκείνη ἡ ἡμέρα the judgment; Jesus as judge

'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name,content — the plea — οὐ expects 'yes'; the first of the triple fronted τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι

and in your name cast out demons,content — the second claim — exorcism in the name

and in your name do many mighty works?'content — the charismatic résumé complete — ἐποιήσαμεν, yet not the ποιεῖν of v. 21

And then I will declare to them:independent — quasi-legal ὁμολογήσω — the judge's formal public pronouncement, with recitative ὅτι

'I never knew you;content — relational/covenantal γινώσκω — relationship, not résumé, decides

depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'content — Ps 6:8 (6:9 LXX) reworked — ἀνομία the crux: antinomian charismatics, or simply unrighteousness; left open

The two builders — rock and sand 7:24–27

vv. 24–25 — the wise builder: the house that stood

Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does themrelative — fronted casus-pendens subject with its relative — leans forward on ὁμοιωθήσεται; hearing AND doing, the Sermon's demand

will be like a wise manindependent — future ὁμοιωθήσεται read against Byzantine ὁμοιώσω αὐτόν — eschatological passive: will prove to be like

who built his house on the rock.relative — ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν — bedrock; the aorist looks back from the storm

And the rain came down,independent — the storm-test begins — polysyndetic crescendo, one blow per line

and the floods came,independent — ποταμοί — the flash-torrents of the wadis

and the winds blewindependent — the third assault

and beat against that house,independent — προσπίπτω — the storm falls upon the house

and it did not fall,independent — the verdict — adversative καί: struck, yet standing

for it had been founded on the rock.cause — pluperfect τεθεμελίωτο — the prior, abiding grounding; the parable's whole point in one tense

vv. 26–27 — the foolish builder: the great fall

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do themparticipial — the mirror subject, now substantival participles — leans forward on ὁμοιωθήσεται; the one difference: μὴ ποιῶν

will be like a foolish manindependent — μωρός against φρόνιμος — the folly is hearing without doing

who built his house on the sand.relative — ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον — the same house, the same labor, the wrong foundation

And the rain came down,independent — the identical storm — word for word with v. 25

and the floods came,independent — the same torrents

and the winds blewindependent — the same winds

and struck against that house,independent — προσκόπτω varying προσπίπτω of v. 25 — the one lexical ripple in the refrain

and it fell,independent — the verdict inverted — one verb where v. 25 had οὐκ

and great was its fall.independent — the Sermon's last spoken word — μεγάλη at the close: total, catastrophic ruin

The crowds astonished at his authority 7:28–29

And it came to pass,independent — the narrator returns — Septuagintal frame; first occurrence of Matthew's five-discourse formula (11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1)

when Jesus had finished these words,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — τοὺς λόγους τούτους echoing vv. 24, 26: the Sermon is 'these words'

the crowds were astounded at his teaching,independent — asyndetic apodosis of the ἐγένετο-frame — imperfect: sustained amazement; the ὄχλοι of 5:1 were listening all along

for he was teaching them as one having authority,cause — periphrastic imperfect — inherent ἐξουσία, not cited precedent; echoed verbatim at Mark 1:22

and not as their scribes.comparative — elliptical foil — αὐτῶν ('their scribes') read with the earliest text, marking distance from the synagogue

Analysis. Matthew 7 concludes the Sermon on the Mount, and the layout follows the mark13 convention for continuous discourse: the sermon has no verb of saying until the closing frame of v. 28, so its clauses stand as the discourse's own lines — imperatives and verdicts flush-left in purple, their grounds and purposes indenting beneath them exactly as they would in narrative. What the shape shows is a drumbeat of commands each dragging its reason behind it: μὴ κρίνετε with its ἵνα and its two measure-for-measure γάρ-maxims; the triple αἰτεῖτε–ζητεῖτε–κρούετε column with each promise beside its imperative and the πᾶς-γάρ generalization hanging under the last; εἰσέλθατε with four ὅτι-lines (the wide gate and the narrow stacked as one grounds-block); προσέχετε with the wolves in the relative clause; and the parable's storm — four flat καί-clauses, twice, differing only in the verdict-line (οὐκ ἔπεσεν with its pluperfect τεθεμελίωτο-γάρ, against ἔπεσεν and the verbless-feeling ἦν ἡ πτῶσις αὐτῆς μεγάλη). Protases and fronted subjects lean forward anchor-less (εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς at v. 11, the paratactic supposed-case of v. 10, Πάντα οὖν ὅσα of the Golden Rule, the Πᾶς-ὅστις and πᾶς-ὁ-ἀκούων casus-pendens subjects of the builders). Embedded speech still indents blue: the τριple τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι claims hang as cnt under ἐροῦσίν, and the reply — Οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς and the Ps 6:8 dismissal — under ὁμολογήσω. Cruxes taken or flagged: ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν (v. 23) is glossed 'workers of lawlessness' with the Ps 6:9 LXX reworking named — whether ἀνομία targets antinomian charismatics or is simply Matthew's word for unrighteousness is left open in the tag; v. 14's opening τί is printed (exclamatory 'how!') where editions divide over ὅτι; v. 24 reads the future ὁμοιωθήσεται against the Byzantine ὁμοιώσω αὐτόν; and v. 28's Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν is tagged as the first occurrence of Matthew's five-discourse formula (11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1) — the frame that reveals the sermon's audience was wider than the disciples of 5:1: the ὄχλοι have been listening all along, and their astonishment (with the ἦν γὰρ διδάσκων ground echoed verbatim in Mark 1:22) closes the discourse on the note of ἐξουσία.