Matthew 7:1

Judging Others

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Matthew 7:1 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
English Standard Version (ESV)
1 "Judge not, that you be not judged.
New Living Translation (NLT)
1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
The Message Bible (MSG)
1 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment.
American Standard Version (ASV)
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
1 "Stop judging so that you will not be judged.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
1 "Do not judge, so that you won't be judged.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
1 "Do not judge others. Then you will not be judged.

Matthew 7:1 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 7:1

Judge not, that ye be not judged.
] This is not to be understood of any sort of judgment; not of judgment in the civil courts of judicature, by proper magistrates, which ought to be made and pass, according to the nature of the case; nor of judgment in the churches of Christ, where offenders are to be called to an account, examined, tried, and dealt with according to the rules of the Gospel; nor of every private judgment, which one man may make upon another, without any detriment to him; but of rash judgment, interpreting men's words and deeds to the worst sense, and censuring them in a very severe manner; even passing sentence on them, with respect to their eternal state and condition. Good is the advice given by the famous Hillell F21, who lived a little before Christ's time;

``Do not judge thy neighbour, (says he,) until thou comest into his place.''

It would be well, if persons subject to a censorious spirit, would put themselves in the case and circumstances the persons are in they judge; and then consider, what judgment they would choose others should pass on them. The argument Christ uses to dissuade from this evil, which the Jews were very prone to, is, "that ye be not judged"; meaning, either by men, for such censorious persons rarely have the good will of their fellow creatures, but are commonly repaid in the same way; or else by God, which will be the most awful and tremendous: for such persons take upon them the place of God, usurp his prerogative, as if they knew the hearts and states of men; and therefore will have judgment without mercy at the hands of God.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Pirke Abot, c. 2. sect. 4.

Matthew 7:1 In-Context

1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

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Cross References 1

  • 1. Luke 6:37; Ro 14:4,10,13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 5:12; James 4:11,12
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