Limitless Word
You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.
John 8:15 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.
  • KJV Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.
  • BSB You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
  • NKJV You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
  • 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 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
  • John 7:24Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
  • John 12:47If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn’t believe, I don’t judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
  • John 3:17For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
  • Rom 2:1Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things.
  • John 18:36Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”
  • 1 Cor 2:15But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
  • 1 Cor 4:3–5But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you, or by man’s judgment. Yes, I don’t judge my own self.
  • Ps 94:20–21Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?
  • John 8:11She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”
  • Amos 5:7You who turn justice to wormwood, and cast down righteousness to the earth:
  • Amos 6:12Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;
  • Ps 58:1–2For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David. Do you indeed speak righteousness, silent ones? Do you judge blamelessly, you sons of men?
  • Luke 12:14But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”
  • Hab 1:4Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.
  • Jas 2:4haven’t you shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 8:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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.