Matthew 7:18 (WEB)

Passage

A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

Nearby Context

Matthew 7:16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

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

Matthew 7:18 A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

Matthew 7:19 Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 7:20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "good", "tree", "produce", "evil", "fruit", "neither", and "corrupt". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "good" and "tree", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Even so every good tree produces good..." into verse 19's "Every tree that doesn t grow good...", so "good" and "tree" 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 "good" and "tree" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.