Luke 6:42

42 Or how canst thou say to thy brother: Brother, let me pull the mote out of thy eye, when thou thyself seest not the beam in thy own eye? Hypocrite, cast first the beam out of thy own eye: and then shalt thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother’s eye.

Luke 6:42 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 6:42

Either how canst thou say to thy brother
Guilty of the lesser sin;

brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye;
that is, suffer me to reprove thee for thy sin: the word "brother" is omitted in the Cambridge copy of Beza's, and in the Persic version; nor is it in Matthew; but in the Syriac and Ethiopic versions it is read, "my brother"; pretending great affection and sincerity:

when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
that is, takest no notice of, and dost not refrain from a greater iniquity continued in:

thou hypocrite;
as such an one must be, that bears hard upon his brother, and severely censures him for a small crime, when he indulges in himself a far more abominable sin:

cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see
clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye:
the sense is, that a man should first reform himself, and then others.

Luke 6:42 In-Context

40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one shall be perfect, if he be as his master.

41 And why seest thou the mote in thy brother’s eye: but the beam that is in thy own eye thou considerest not?

42 Or how canst thou say to thy brother: Brother, let me pull the mote out of thy eye, when thou thyself seest not the beam in thy own eye? Hypocrite, cast first the beam out of thy own eye: and then shalt thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother’s eye.

43 For there is no good tree that bringeth forth evil fruit: nor an evil tree that bringeth forth good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by its fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns: nor from a bramble bush do they gather the grape.