What does the Bible say about judging other people?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible forbids proud, hypocritical condemnation of others while calling believers to humble, truthful discernment and loving restoration. In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus warns that we must first examine and repent of our own sin before addressing a brother's fault. Luke 6:37 and James 4:11-12 remind us that God alone is the final Judge, so mercy should mark our dealings with others. Yet John 7:24 commands right judgment rather than superficial judgment, and Galatians 6:1 calls the spiritual to restore the fallen gently. Christians should therefore reject slander, self-righteousness, and harsh suspicion, while guarding the church from false teaching and pursuing one another's holiness in grace.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Matthew 7:1-5
[1] "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. [2] For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. [3] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? [4] Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye? [5] You 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.
- Luke 6:37
Don'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.
- James 4:11-12
[11] Don'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. [12] Only one is the lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge another?
- John 7:24
Don't judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
- Romans 2:1-3
[1] Therefore 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. [2] We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. [3] Do you think this, O man who judges those who practice such things, and do the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
- Romans 16:17-18
[17] Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. [18] For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
- Galatians 6:1
Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren't tempted.
- John 8:7
But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her."
- 1 Corinthians 2:15
But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
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