Matthew 7:1-2
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just a blanket ban on forming opinions; it's a specific warning against a harsh, condemning attitude, especially aimed at those who wrongly assume they know another's heart or eternal destiny. Jesus is calling us to examine our own lives with the same rigor we might apply to others, emphasizing that our own judgment will be mirrored back to us, either by people or, more significantly, by God.
Jesus is concluding His most famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, and shifting from defining the character of kingdom citizens to outlining the responsibilities that come with it. This section warns against spiritual dangers that can arise even in those striving for holiness, like the self-righteous judgment of others, hypocrisy, and impurity of heart. He is offering principles for living within God's kingdom, which will be judged differently than the world's standards.
Ever felt that sting of being misunderstood or harshly judged? Jesus addresses this head-on, but it's not a simple 'don't judge' rule.
Jesus isn't forbidding all forms of evaluation.
The Kind of Judging Jesus Condemns:
What's Allowed?
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Why does Jesus immediately pivot from judging others to a 'beam' in your own eye? It reveals the root of our judgmentalism.
The verse doesn't stand alone. Jesus immediately follows up with the illustration of the 'mote' and the 'beam' (Matthew 7:3-5). This isn't just a poetic flourish; it's central to understanding the command.
The Core Problem:
The Path Forward:
The consequence of judging is stark: 'that you be not judged.' What does this reciprocal relationship with God's judgment mean?
Jesus connects our judgment of others directly to how God will judge us. This isn't a threat, but a principle of divine justice and mercy.
The Principle of Reciprocity:
Understand the original words
krinete · Greek Verb
To critique, condemn, or pass sentence upon someone. Biblically, it often refers to the assumption of a posture of moral superiority or judicial authority over others in a way that ignores one's own faults.
krimati · Greek Noun
A standard of evaluation or assessment. In this context, it refers to the criteria one uses to judge others, which will also be applied to the person doing the judging.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' teaching, emphasizing that everyone will stand before God's judgment seat and that we shouldn't judge one another.
James 4:11-12James warns against slandering and judging fellow believers, stating that judging others means judging God's law and that God is the only judge.
Luke 6:37This parallel passage from Luke's Gospel presents the same core message, adding the crucial phrase 'and you will be forgiven' as a direct consequence of not judging.
1 Corinthians 4:5Paul urges the Corinthians to not pass judgment before the appointed time, as the Lord will bring hidden things to light and reveal the motives of every heart, reinforcing Jesus' caution.
barnesMatthew 7:1: "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Judge not ... - This command refers to rash, censorious, and unjust judgment. See Romans 2:1 . Luke Luk 6:37 explains it in the sense of "condemning." Christ does not condemn judging as a magistrate, for that, when according to justice, is lawful and necessary. Nor does he condemn our "forming an opinion" of the conduct of others, for it is impossible "not" to form an opinion of conduct that we know to be evil. But what he refers to is a habit of…
bensonMatthew 7:1: "Judge not, that ye be not judged."
Matthew 7:1-2 . Judge not — Our Lord now proceeds to warn us against the chief hinderances of holiness. And how wisely does he begin with judging! Wherein all young converts are so apt to spend that zeal which is given them for better purposes. He must be understood as forbidding all rash and unfavourable judgments, whether of the characters of others in general, or of their actions in particular, glancing, probably, in these as also in some othe…
This verse isn't just a blanket ban on forming opinions; it's a specific warning against a harsh, condemning attitude, especially aimed at those who wrongly assume they know another's heart or eternal destiny. Jesus is calling us to examine our own lives with the same rigor we might apply to others, emphasizing that our own judgment will be mirrored back to us, either by people or, more significantly, by God.
Jesus is concluding His most famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, and shifting from defining the character of kingdom citizens to outlining the responsibilities that come with it. This section warns against spiritual dangers that can arise even in those striving for holiness, like the self-righteous judgment of others, hypocrisy, and impurity of heart. He is offering principles for living within God's kingdom, which will be judged differently than the world's standards.
Jesus is concluding His most famous teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, and shifting from defining the character of kingdom citizens to outlining the responsibilities that come with it. This section warns against spiritual dangers that can arise even in those striving for holiness, like the self-righteous judgment of others, hypocrisy, and impurity of heart. He is offering principles for living within God's kingdom, which will be judged differently than the world's standards.
"“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." — This verse isn't just a blanket ban on forming opinions; it's a specific warning against a harsh, condemning attitude, especially aimed at those who wrongly assume they know another's heart or eterna…
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