Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.
- BSB “Do not judge, or you will be judged.
- NKJV “Judge not, that you be not judged.
- NASB “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.
- NLT “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
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
Don't judge others in a censorious, condemning way, or you will be judged the same way. Jesus warns against a hypocritical, fault-finding spirit.
Overview
Opening a new section, Jesus forbids the harsh, self-righteous judging that condemns others while ignoring one's own sin. This is not a ban on all moral discernment—later verses require it—but a warning against a censorious heart. The standard we apply to others will rebound upon us, ultimately before God's own judgment seat.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Luke 6:37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
- Rom 2:1–2Therefore 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.
- Jas 4:11–12Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
- Luke 6:41And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
- Rom 14:10–13But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
- Matt 7:5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
- 1 Cor 4:3–5But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
- Rom 14:3–4Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
- Matt 7:2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
- Ezek 16:52–56Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.
- Jas 3:1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
- Isa 66:5Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 7:1 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.