You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
Parallel translations
- WEB You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.
- KJV Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
- NKJV You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
- NASB You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.
- NLT You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus says they judge according to the flesh, while He judges no one. They evaluate by mere appearances, unlike His mission in this moment.
Overview
The Pharisees judge by outward, worldly standards, failing to perceive Jesus' true identity. Jesus contrasts this with His present purpose, which in His first coming is to save rather than to condemn (John 3:17; 12:47). Yet, as the following verses show, He does have authority to judge truly, a judgment grounded in His unity with the Father.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- 1 Sam 16:7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
- John 7:24Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
- John 12:47As for anyone who hears My words and does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
- John 3:17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
- Rom 2:1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
- John 18:36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”
- 1 Cor 2:15The spiritual man judges all things, but he himself is not subject to anyone’s judgment.
- 1 Cor 4:3–5I care very little, however, if I am judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.
- Ps 94:20–21Can a corrupt throne be Your ally—one devising mischief by decree?
- John 8:11“No one, Lord,” she answered. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”
- Amos 5:7There are those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness to the ground.
- Amos 6:12“Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—
- Ps 58:1–2For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
- Luke 12:14But Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed Me judge or executor between you?”
- Hab 1:4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
- Jas 2:4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 8:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.