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)
Jesus isn't just saying "treat others well and they'll treat you well." He's revealing that the very way we judge others—our standards, our severity, our hidden motives—will be the lens through which we ourselves are judged, both by God and by the people around us. This is a profound statement about the enduring power of our own attitudes.
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)
Jesus has just warned against judging others, but this verse clarifies why we shouldn't be hasty with our verdicts. It explains that the standard we use to critique others will be the same one God, and even people, will use to evaluate us. This principle of reciprocity—that our actions will be mirrored back to us—directly follows the call to remove the "beam" from our own eye before pointing out the "speck" in our brother's.
Jesus tells us to 'judge not,' but later tells us to 'make a right judgment.' How can both be true?
It can feel like a contradiction, right? Jesus isn't saying we can never discern right from wrong or evaluate actions. That wouldn't make sense! In fact, the Bible elsewhere calls us to 'test everything' and 'hold fast to what is good' (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
So, what is Jesus forbidding here?
Jesus links our judgment of others directly to how we ourselves will be treated. It's a powerful, reciprocal principle.
This isn't just about God judging us later; it reflects a practical reality in how we live and interact .
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The principle of 'lex talionis' (the law of retaliation), or like dealing with like, is at play here. When we use a harsh, condemning measure with others:
Understand the original words
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 is a parallel account, directly stating the same principle that we should not judge, and that showing mercy and generosity to others is how we will be treated in return.
Romans 2:1-3Paul echoes this teaching, emphasizing that God's judgment is righteous and based on the same standards that we use to judge others, even when we are judging others for their wrongdoings.
James 2:12-13James directly links speaking and acting as those who will be judged by the law of freedom to the need for showing mercy, because judgment will be without mercy to those who have shown no mercy.
Genesis 50:15-21Joseph's response to his brothers, who feared retribution for their past deeds, beautifully illustrates this principle: they judged him harshly, but he chose to forgive and show them mercy, seeing God's hand in their actions.
barnesMatthew 7:2: "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
With what judgment ... - This was a proverb among the Jews. It expressed a truth; and Christ did not hesitate to adopt it as conveying his own sentiments. It refers no less to the way in which people will judge of us, than to the rule by which God will judge us. See 2 Samuel 22:27 ; Mark 4:24 ; James 2:13 . Mete - Measure. You shall be judged by the same rule whi…
pulpitMatthew 7:2: "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
Verse 2. - Parallels to the second clause in Luke 6:38 and Mark 4:24, For. Explanatory of" that ye be not judged." The principle of your own judgment will be applied in turn to yourselves. With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. The judgment (κρίμα) is the verdict; the measure is the sever…
Jesus isn't just saying "treat others well and they'll treat you well." He's revealing that the very way we judge others—our standards, our severity, our hidden motives—will be the lens through which we ourselves are judged, both by God and by the people around us. This is a profound statement about the enduring power of our own attitudes.
Jesus has just warned against judging others, but this verse clarifies why we shouldn't be hasty with our verdicts. It explains that the standard we use to critique others will be the same one God, and even people, will use to evaluate us. This principle of reciprocity—that our actions will be mirrored back to us—directly follows the call to remove the "beam" from our own eye before pointing out the "speck" in our brother's.
Jesus has just warned against judging others, but this verse clarifies why we shouldn't be hasty with our verdicts. It explains that the standard we use to critique others will be the same one God, and even people, will use to evaluate us. This principle of reciprocity—that our actions will be mirrored back to us—directly follows the call to remove the "beam" from our own eye before pointing out the "speck" in our brother's.
"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." — Jesus isn't just saying "treat others well and they'll treat you well." He's revealing that the very way we judge others—our standards, our severity, our hidden motives—will be the lens through whi…
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Last reviewed October 2026