James 4:11

Speak not one against another (mh katalaleite allhlwn). Prohibition against such a habit or a command to quit doing it, with mh and the present imperative of katalalew, old compound usually with the accusative in ancient Greek, in N.T. only with the genitive (here, 1 Peter 2:12 ; 1 Peter 3:16 ). Often harsh words about the absent. James returns to the subject of the tongue as he does again in 1 Peter 5:12 (twice before, 1 Peter 1:26 ; 1 Peter 3:1-12 ). Judgeth (krinwn). In the sense of harsh judgment as in Matthew 7:1 ; Luke 6:37 (explained by katadikazw). Not a doer of the law, but a judge (ouk poihth nomou, alla krith). This tone of superiority to law is here sharply condemned. James has in mind God's law, of course, but the point is the same for all laws under which we live. We cannot select the laws which we will obey unless some contravene God's law, and so our own conscience ( Acts 4:20 ). Then we are willing to give our lives for our rebellion if need be.