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
1
Μὴ κρίνετε,independent — asyndeton opens the movement — present prohibition: no settled practice of condemning
ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε·purpose — divine passive — the unnamed judge is God at the eschaton
2
ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε κριθήσεσθε,cause — lex talionis maxim — the relative attracted into the ἐν-phrase
καὶ ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.cause — the rabbinic measure-for-measure (middah) proverb — divine passive again
vv. 3–5 — the speck and the log: the hypocrite's cure
3
τί δὲ βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου,independent — the prohibition dramatized — κάρφος, a mote of straw; the address narrows to the singular
τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ δοκὸν οὐ κατανοεῖς;independent — coordinate half of the question — δοκός, a roof-beam; the grotesque hyperbole fronted
4
ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου·independent — second rhetorical question — the speech-frame for the absurd offer
Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου,content — permissive Ἄφες + subjunctive — the log-eyed man volunteers eye-surgery
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ;independent — verbless ἰδού-circumstance completing the question — the incongruity in one glance
5
ὑποκριτά, ἔκβαλε πρῶτον ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ τὴν δοκόν,independent — vocative of rebuke — ὑποκριτής, the play-actor; πρῶτον sets the priority of self-judgment
καὶ τότε διαβλέψεις ἐκβαλεῖν τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου.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
6
Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν,independent — the counterweight to v. 1 — discernment is not abolished; τὸ ἅγιον perhaps sacrificial meat
μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων,independent — the parallel prohibition — pearls (cf. 13:45–46) before the paradigmatically unclean
μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶνpurpose — the feared outcome — μήποτε with future indicative; the proverb reads chiastically (swine trample, dogs turn)
καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς.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
7
Αἰτεῖτε,independent — durative present imperative — keep asking
καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν·independent — imperative + καί + future = promise; divine passive
ζητεῖτε,independent — the second imperative — the escalating triad
καὶ εὑρήσετε·independent — the paired promise
κρούετε,independent — the third imperative — the door-image anticipates the gate of v. 13
καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν.independent — divine passive — God opens
8
πᾶς γὰρ ὁ αἰτῶν λαμβάνειcause — grounds the whole triple promise — hung on the last promise-verb; πᾶς universalizes
καὶ ὁ ζητῶν εὑρίσκειcause — the second gnomic pair
καὶ τῷ κρούοντι ἀνοιγήσεται.cause — the third pair — the future kept for the knocker
vv. 9–11 — the a fortiori from human fathers
9
ἢ τίς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος,independent — the argument from fatherhood opens — τίς expects 'no one'
ὃν αἰτήσει ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἄρτον,relative — double-accusative αἰτέω — the supposed case inside the relative
μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ;independent — μή expects 'no' — the stone that merely resembles a loaf
10
ἢ καὶ ἰχθὺν αἰτήσει,conditional — paratactic supposed case (future indicative as virtual protasis) — leans forward on ἐπιδώσει
μὴ ὄφιν ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ;independent — the second μή-question — the serpent, a dangerous counterfeit
11
εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς πονηροὶ ὄντες οἴδατε δόματα ἀγαθὰ διδόναι τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν,conditional — first-class protasis — πονηροὶ ὄντες concessive, fallen nature assumed in passing
πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς δώσει ἀγαθὰ τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν.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
12
Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητεrelative — fronted indefinite-relative object — leans forward on ποιεῖτε; οὖν gathers up the Sermon's ethics
ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι,content — ἵνα-object clause of θέλητε — the wish spelled out
οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς·independent — the positive Golden Rule — οὕτως resumes the fronted Πάντα
οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται.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
13
Εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης·independent — ingressive aorist — the decisive entry; the sermon turns to its closing warnings
ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν,cause — verbless grounds — ἡ πύλη read though a few witnesses omit it; ἀπώλεια, eschatological ruin
καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι᾽ αὐτῆς·cause — the thronged road — πολλοί against the ὀλίγοι to come
14
τί στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν,cause — exclamatory τί printed where editions divide over ὅτι — τεθλιμμένη carries the θλῖψις-overtone; verbless
καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.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
15
Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν,independent — durative imperative — stay on guard; the narrow way has misleading guides
οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων,relative — qualitative ὅστις — the disguise of the flock
ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες.relative — coordinate with ἔρχονται inside the relative — the outside/inside antithesis
16
ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς.independent — the diagnostic principle — fronted ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν; ἐπιγινώσκω, discern for what they are
vv. 16b–20 — the nature-proverbs and the refrain
μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλὰς ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα;independent — μήτι expects 'no' — impersonal gnomic present; false sources yield no true produce
17
οὕτως πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ,independent — the analogy generalized — nature determines produce
τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν δένδρον καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖ.independent — the antithesis — σαπρός, rotten, worthless
18
οὐ δύναται δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖν,independent — the principle as impossibility — οὐ δύναται, settled incapacity
οὐδὲ δένδρον σαπρὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖν.independent — elliptical — δύναται carried over; the two natures mutually exclusive
19
πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεταιindependent — the fire-verdict — verbatim John the Baptist (3:10): the Sermon takes up the herald's axe
καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται.independent — gnomic passives — the judgment as standing law
20
ἄρα γε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς.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
21
Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι· Κύριε κύριε εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν,independent — οὐ πᾶς — confession alone does not admit; the doubled vocative kept inside its clause
ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.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
22
πολλοὶ ἐροῦσίν μοι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ·independent — the eschatological scene — πολλοί (the broad way's word), ἐκείνη ἡ ἡμέρα the judgment; Jesus as judge
Κύριε κύριε, οὐ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι ἐπροφητεύσαμεν,content — the plea — οὐ expects 'yes'; the first of the triple fronted τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι
καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δαιμόνια ἐξεβάλομεν,content — the second claim — exorcism in the name
καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δυνάμεις πολλὰς ἐποιήσαμεν;content — the charismatic résumé complete — ἐποιήσαμεν, yet not the ποιεῖν of v. 21
23
καὶ τότε ὁμολογήσω αὐτοῖς ὅτιindependent — quasi-legal ὁμολογήσω — the judge's formal public pronouncement, with recitative ὅτι
Οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς·content — relational/covenantal γινώσκω — relationship, not résumé, decides
ἀποχωρεῖτε ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν.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
24
Πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ἀκούει μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ ποιεῖ αὐτούς,relative — fronted casus-pendens subject with its relative — leans forward on ὁμοιωθήσεται; hearing AND doing, the Sermon's demand
ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ φρονίμῳ,independent — future ὁμοιωθήσεται read against Byzantine ὁμοιώσω αὐτόν — eschatological passive: will prove to be like
ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν.relative — ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν — bedrock; the aorist looks back from the storm
25
καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴindependent — the storm-test begins — polysyndetic crescendo, one blow per line
καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶindependent — ποταμοί — the flash-torrents of the wadis
καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοιindependent — the third assault
καὶ προσέπεσαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ,independent — προσπίπτω — the storm falls upon the house
καὶ οὐκ ἔπεσεν,independent — the verdict — adversative καί: struck, yet standing
τεθεμελίωτο γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν.cause — pluperfect τεθεμελίωτο — the prior, abiding grounding; the parable's whole point in one tense
vv. 26–27 — the foolish builder: the great fall
26
καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀκούων μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ μὴ ποιῶν αὐτοὺςparticipial — the mirror subject, now substantival participles — leans forward on ὁμοιωθήσεται; the one difference: μὴ ποιῶν
ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ,independent — μωρός against φρόνιμος — the folly is hearing without doing
ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον.relative — ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον — the same house, the same labor, the wrong foundation
27
καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴindependent — the identical storm — word for word with v. 25
καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶindependent — the same torrents
καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοιindependent — the same winds
καὶ προσέκοψαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ,independent — προσκόπτω varying προσπίπτω of v. 25 — the one lexical ripple in the refrain
καὶ ἔπεσεν,independent — the verdict inverted — one verb where v. 25 had οὐκ
καὶ ἦν ἡ πτῶσις αὐτῆς μεγάλη.independent — the Sermon's last spoken word — μεγάλη at the close: total, catastrophic ruin
The crowds astonished at his authority 7:28–29
28
Καὶ ἐγένετοindependent — the narrator returns — Septuagintal frame; first occurrence of Matthew's five-discourse formula (11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1)
ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς λόγους τούτους,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — τοὺς λόγους τούτους echoing vv. 24, 26: the Sermon is 'these words'
ἐξεπλήσσοντο οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ·independent — asyndetic apodosis of the ἐγένετο-frame — imperfect: sustained amazement; the ὄχλοι of 5:1 were listening all along
29
ἦν γὰρ διδάσκων αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐξουσίαν ἔχωνcause — periphrastic imperfect — inherent ἐξουσία, not cited precedent; echoed verbatim at Mark 1:22
καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν.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.