Matthew 7:15 (ASV)

Passage

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep`s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Nearby Context

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.

Matthew 7:14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep`s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

Matthew 7:16 By their fruits ye shall know them. Do [men] gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sheep", "beware", "false", "prophets", "come", "clothing", "inwardly", and "ravening". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sheep" and "beware", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "For narrow is the gate and straitened..." into verse 16's "By their fruits ye shall know them...", so "sheep" and "beware" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sheep" and "beware" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.