Matthew 7:15

Authorized King James Version (1611)

¶ ‹Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.›

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Προσέχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες.

Transliteration

Prosechete de apo tōn pseudoprophētōn, who erchontai pros hymas en endymasin probatōn, esōthen de eisin lykoi harpages.

Grammar Details

• *Prosechete*: present active imperative, 2nd person plural - beware/pay attention to
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and/now
• *apo*: preposition with genitive - from
• *tōn pseudoprophētōn*: genitive plural masculine - the false prophets
• *hoitines*: relative pronoun, nominative plural masculine - who/whoever
• *erchontai*: present middle indicative, 3rd person plural - come/are coming
• *pros*: preposition with accusative - to/toward
• *hymas*: accusative plural - you
• *en*: preposition with dative - in/with
• *endymasin*: dative plural neuter - garments/clothing
• *probatōn*: genitive plural neuter - of sheep
• *esōthen*: adverb - from within/inside
• *eisin*: present active indicative, 3rd person plural - are
• *lykoi*: nominative plural masculine - wolves
• *harpages*: nominative plural masculine - ravenous/rapacious

Word Meanings

• *prosechete*: beware/pay attention to/be on guard against
• *pseudoprophētōn*: false prophets/pretenders to divine inspiration
• *erchontai*: come/approach/arrive
• *endymasin*: garments/clothing/outer wear
• *probatōn*: sheep [symbol of innocence/harmlessness]
• *esōthen*: within/inside/inwardly
• *lykoi*: wolves [symbol of danger/destruction]
• *harpages*: ravenous/rapacious/predatory/greedy

Referenced Verses

• 1 John 4:1 : 1 ¶ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
• 2 Pet 2:1-3 : 1 ¶ But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 ¶ And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
• Matt 24:11 : 11 ‹And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.›
• Col 2:8 : 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
• Deut 13:1-3 : 1 ¶ If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
• Acts 20:29-31 : 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
• Mark 13:22-23 : 22 ‹For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if› [it were] ‹possible, even the elect.› 23 ‹But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.›
• Luke 6:26 : 26 ‹Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.›
• 2 Cor 11:13-15 : 13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
• Mic 3:5-7 : 5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. 6 Therefore night [shall be] unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them. 7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for [there is] no answer of God.
• Mic 3:11 : 11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
• 2 Pet 3:17 : 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
• Jude 1:4 : 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Rev 19:20 : 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
• Ezek 22:27 : 27 Her princes in the midst thereof [are] like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
• Ezek 22:25 : 25 [There is] a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.
• Isa 9:15-16 : 15 The ancient and honourable, he [is] the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he [is] the tail. 16 For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err; and [they that are] led of them [are] destroyed.
• Jer 14:14-16 : 14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.
• Jer 23:13-16 : 13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. 14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. 15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. 16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, [and] not out of the mouth of the LORD.
• Jer 28:15-17 : 15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD. 17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
• Jer 29:21 : 21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
• Jer 29:32 : 32 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.
• Ezek 13:16 : 16 [To wit], the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and [there is] no peace, saith the Lord GOD.
• Zeph 3:3-4 : 3 Her princes within her [are] roaring lions; her judges [are] evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. 4 Her prophets [are] light [and] treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
• Zech 13:4 : 4 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive:
• Matt 10:17 : 17 ‹But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;›
• Matt 16:6 : 6 Then Jesus said unto them, ‹Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.›
• Matt 16:11 : 11 ‹How is it that ye do not understand that I spake› [it] ‹not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?›
• Matt 24:4-5 : 4 ¶ And Jesus answered and said unto them, ‹Take heed that no man deceive you.› 5 ‹For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.›
• Gal 2:4 : 4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
• Eph 4:14 : 14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
• Eph 5:6 : 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
• Phil 3:2 : 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
• 1 Tim 4:1-3 : 1 ¶ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
• 2 Tim 3:5-9 : 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all [men], as theirs also was.
• 2 Tim 3:13 : 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
• 2 Tim 4:3 : 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
• Luke 12:15 : 15 And he said unto them, ‹Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.›
• John 10:12 : 12 ‹But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.›
• Rom 16:17-18 : 17 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
• Matt 24:24-25 : 24 ‹For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if› [it were] ‹possible, they shall deceive the very elect.› 25 ‹Behold, I have told you before.›
• Mark 12:38-40 : 38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, ‹Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and› [love] ‹salutations in the marketplaces,› 39 ‹And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:› 40 ‹Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.›
• Rev 13:11-17 : 11 ¶ And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
• Rev 16:13 : 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
• Rev 17:6 : 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
• Acts 13:40 : 40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
• 2 Pet 2:18-19 : 18 For when they speak great swelling [words] of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, [through much] wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
• Acts 13:6 : 6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name [was] Barjesus:
• Ezek 13:22 : 22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
• Isa 56:10-11 : 10 His watchmen [are] blind: they are all ignorant, they [are] all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11 Yea, [they are] greedy dogs [which] can never have enough, and they [are] shepherds [that] cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.