And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Parallel translations
- WEB Why do you see the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?
- BSB Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
- NKJV And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
- NASB Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
- NLT “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
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 rebukes those who notice small faults in others while ignoring greater faults in themselves. Self-examination must precede correction of others.
Overview
The vivid image of a speck versus a beam exposes the absurdity of self-righteous fault-finding. We are quick to see others' minor failings while blind to our own glaring sin. This call to humility prepares the heart for the grace of Christ, who cleanses us so we may help others gently rather than proudly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 8:7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
- Jas 1:24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
- Rom 2:21–24Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
- Rom 2:1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
- Matt 7:3–5And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
- Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
- John 8:40–44But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
- 2 Sam 12:5–7And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
- 2 Sam 20:9–10And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
- 1 Chr 21:6But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.
- Ezek 18:28Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
- 1 Kgs 2:32And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
- 2 Sam 20:20–21And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
- Ps 36:2For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 6:41 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.