Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged
"Judge not, that ye be not judged." — Matthew 7:1 (KJB)
This verse is one of the most quoted and most misunderstood passages in Scripture. Many take it to mean that Christians should never make any kind of judgment, as though discernment itself were forbidden. In today’s culture, it is often used as a shield against accountability: “Don’t judge me, the Bible says so.” But this interpretation strips the verse from its context and misses the true doctrine being taught.
When we read Matthew 7:1 in isolation, it seems absolute. Yet the verses that follow reveal Christ’s intent. In Matthew 7:2–5, Jesus warns against hypocritical judgment—condemning others while ignoring our own sins. He illustrates this with the image of a man trying to remove a speck from his brother’s eye while a beam remains in his own. The command is not to abandon judgment altogether, but to first examine ourselves, remove hypocrisy, and then we will see clearly to help others. Later in the same chapter (vv. 15–20), Jesus even commands discernment: “Beware of false prophets… Ye shall know them by their fruits.” That requires judgment, but righteous judgment rooted in truth and humility.
Rightly dividing the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15), we recognize that Christ’s earthly ministry was directed to Israel under the law. Yet the principle carries forward into our present dispensation of grace. Paul echoes this in Romans 14:10-13, urging believers not to judge one another in matters of conscience, while also calling for discernment in doctrine and practice. In 1 Corinthians 2:15, Paul says, “He that is spiritual judgeth all things,” showing that judgment—when exercised spiritually and humbly—is necessary for sound doctrine.
