Matthew Chapter 3 verse 8 Holy Bible
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of repentance:
read chapter 3 in ASV
Let your change of heart be seen in your works:
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Produce therefore fruit worthy of repentance.
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Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
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read chapter 3 in WBT
Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance!
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bear, therefore, fruits worthy of the reformation,
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 8. - Bring forth therefore (vide supra) fruits; fruit (Revised Version). The plural is due to a false reading taken from the parallel passage of Luke - it regards the various graces of a good life as so many different fruits (Matthew 21:43); the singular, as one product from one source (Galatians 5:22). The term used here (ποιεῖν καρπόν), and frequently, lays more stress on the effort involved than διδόναι καρπόν, simple "yielding" (Matthew 8:8), or φέρειν, "bearing" in the course of nature (Matthew 7:18; Mark 4:8; John 15:4, 5, 8, 16). The preacher requires a repentance which produces results. Meet for (cf. Acts 26:20). Though strictly meaning "suitable to" ("answering to," Authorized Version margin; cf. Tyndale, 'be-longyng to"), the phrase might to-day be understood as "suitable to produce." John really means that true repentance has fruit which belongs to its proper nature, and which is alone "worthy of" it (Revised Version). Repentance (τῆς μετανοίας). The article is either generic (Authorized Version and Revised Version; cf. Acts 11:18 and probably Acts 26:20); or equivalent to "your" (Revised Version margin). If the latter, the following sentence shows that it is still said in good faith. (For repentance, cf. ver. 1, note.)
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(8) Fruits (better, fruit) meet for repentance.--The English version is ambiguous and not happy, suggesting the thought of the "fruit" as preparing the way for repentance. The thought is, however, "by coming to the baptism you profess repentance; bring forth, therefore, fruit worthy of repentance--i.e., of a changed heart and will."
