Προσέχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες. (Matthew 7:15)
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
In this verse, grammar becomes a tool of spiritual perception. The command Προσέχετε (“beware”) begins the sentence with the same authoritative tone found in other warnings of Jesus. It is a present active imperative, second person plural, calling for continuous vigilance rather than a single act of caution. The particle δέ introduces a new instruction in the Sermon on the Mount, shifting from inward moral purity (7:1–14) to outward discernment. The prepositional phrase ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν literally means “from the false prophets,” marking them as a source of danger from which the disciples must guard themselves. The participial clause that follows (οἵτινες ἔρχονται…) explains why discernment is necessary—their appearance conceals their true nature.
Syntax of Outer and Inner Reality
The syntax draws a deliberate contrast between external and internal conditions. The main clause (Προσέχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν) commands vigilance, while the relative clause (οἵτινες ἔρχονται…) reveals the deceitful presentation. The adverb ἔσωθεν introduces a locative contrast: the false prophets “come” (ἔρχονται) with visible innocence but “are” (εἰσιν) inwardly predators. The two verbs, ἔρχονται and εἰσιν, form a syntactic polarity between appearance and essence. In Greek discourse, such structure foregrounds the necessity of discernment: what one sees in the participial action differs from what one discovers in the indicative reality.
Semantic Domain of Key Terms
The term ψευδοπροφήτης (“false prophet”) combines ψευδής (“false”) and προφήτης (“prophet”), describing one who claims divine speech without divine truth. In Hellenistic Greek, ἅρπαξ (“ravenous”) belongs to the semantic field of greed and violent seizure. The juxtaposition of προβάτων (“sheep”) and λύκοι (“wolves”) belongs to the metaphorical domain of innocence versus predation, an image deeply rooted in biblical and Near Eastern symbolism. The clothing metaphor (ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων) invokes a disguise of piety, emphasizing the moral contrast between outward appearance and inward nature.
Morphology Table
| Word | Part of Speech | Form | Function | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Προσέχετε | Verb | Present Active Imperative 2nd Plural | Main command | “Beware” / “Be watchful” |
| δέ | Conjunction | Coordinating | Transitions instruction | “But / and” |
| ἀπὸ | Preposition | With Genitive | Marks separation | “From” |
| τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν | Noun Phrase | Genitive Plural Masculine | Object of preposition | “False prophets” |
| οἵτινες | Relative Pronoun | Nominative Plural Masculine | Introduces relative clause | “Who” / “Those who” |
| ἔρχονται | Verb | Present Middle Indicative 3rd Plural | Describes approach or behavior | “Come” |
| πρὸς ὑμᾶς | Prepositional Phrase | πρός + Accusative 2nd Plural | Indicates direction | “To you” |
| ἐν ἐνδύμασι | Prepositional Phrase | ἐν + Dative Plural Neuter | Indicates manner | “In garments” / “clothed in” |
| προβάτων | Noun | Genitive Plural Neuter | Genitive of description | “Of sheep” |
| ἔσωθεν | Adverb | — | Indicates internal state | “Within / inwardly” |
| δέ | Conjunction | Coordinating | Contrasts inner and outer states | “But” |
| εἰσιν | Verb | Present Active Indicative 3rd Plural | Predicate statement | “They are” |
| λύκοι | Noun | Nominative Plural Masculine | Predicate nominative | “Wolves” |
| ἅρπαγες | Adjective / Substantive | Nominative Plural Masculine | Descriptive predicate | “Ravenous / greedy” |
Discourse Flow: The Rhetoric of Warning
The verse unfolds with three movements: command, characterization, and revelation. The imperative “Beware” sets the tone of divine alertness. The relative clause introduces the deceptive behavior of the false prophets. The final clause (ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες) delivers the revelation of truth behind appearance. The connective δέ maintains discourse cohesion while signaling contrast, a technique often used in Matthew to distinguish the genuine from the false. The alternation between present tenses (continuous aspect) reinforces the constant presence of such danger in the community of faith.
The Aspect of Deception
Aspectually, ἔρχονται (present middle) portrays the continuous, deliberate approach of deceivers; it suggests intentional infiltration rather than a single intrusion. εἰσιν (present indicative) expresses a permanent identity—what they truly are. The juxtaposition between these two present forms invites readers to distinguish between ongoing action and abiding nature. The grammar itself becomes a lens for moral vision: the participial behavior cannot alter essential being. Deception operates in the present tense of action but fails to alter the indicative reality of identity.
The Grammar of Spiritual Sight
Through the verbal tension of ἔρχονται and εἰσιν, Jesus teaches that discernment begins where grammar and perception meet. What seems gentle may conceal predation; what appears holy may hide hunger. The imperative Προσέχετε thus transcends linguistic command to become a way of seeing. Grammar becomes ethics: the aspect of vigilance, the syntax of truth, and the morphology of deception. To read this verse faithfully is to learn not only Greek but also the art of spiritual sight — the grammar of discernment.
