Translation commentary on Matthew 7:20

The conclusion drawn in this verse refers back to verses 15-18. In the same way that trees are recognized by the fruit that they produce, so false prophets are recognized by the things they do. Revised Standard Version represents a literal rendering of the Greek text (Thus you will know them by their fruits), and most translations follow the tradition of Revised Standard Version by failing to make explicit the pronominal reference of them. However, Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant, and Bijbel in Gewone Taal all make this information explicit, “false prophets”; Barclay renders “As with trees, so with men—you can tell what kind of men they are by the conduct they produce.”

This verse means exactly the same as the first part of verse 16. Even if translators do not want to do exactly what Barclay has done, they can profit from his translation. Thus really indicates that as trees are recognized by their fruit, so are men. In particular, here the false prophets are being referred to. Therefore to translate Thus, it is possible to say “It is like that with men too” or “The false prophets are like those trees.”

Know again means “recognize for what they are.”

In many languages it will be necessary to replace them with “false prophets.” Otherwise, the word will only be understood to refer to the trees.

As before, fruits means actions, behavior, or conduct.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

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