“Judge not, that you be not judged.
Parallel translations
- WEB “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.
- KJV Judge not, that ye be not judged.
- BSB “Do not judge, or you will be 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 6:37Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free.
- Rom 2:1–2Therefore 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.
- Jas 4:11–12Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
- Luke 6:41Why 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?
- Rom 14:10–13But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
- Matt 7:5You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.
- 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.
- Rom 14:3–4Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.
- Matt 7:2For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
- Ezek 16:52–56You also, bear your own shame yourself, in that you have given judgment for your sisters; through your sins that you have committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous that you. Yes, be also confounded, and bear your shame, in that you have justified your sisters.
- Jas 3:1Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
- Isa 66:5Hear Yahweh’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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.