What does the Bible say about pointing the finger at others?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible warns against self-righteous blame and calls us to humble, truthful, and merciful dealings with others, remembering that all have sinned and need God’s grace. In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus forbids hypocritical judgment while requiring us first to face our own sin. Romans 3:23 levels every person before God, and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 teaches love that is patient, kind, and not resentful. Isaiah 58 condemns oppression and malicious accusation, while Ephesians 4:32 calls believers to forgive as God forgave them in Christ. We should address real wrongs with gentleness and discernment, but seek restoration rather than condemnation, following Christ’s love.
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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.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
[4] Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, [5] doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; [6] doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [7] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
- Ephesians 4:32
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.
- Isaiah 58:1-14
[1] Cry aloud, don't spare, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins. [2] Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways: as a nation that did righteousness, and didn't forsake the ordinance of their God, they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. [3] Why have we fasted, [say they], and you don't see? [why] have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast you find [your own] pleasure, and exact all your labors. [4] Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness: you don't fast this day so as to make your voice to be heard on high. [5] Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Yahweh? [6] Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? [7] Isn't it to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? when you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? [8] Then shall your light break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Yahweh shall by your rearward. [9] Then shall you call, and Yahweh will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am. If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedly; [10] and if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity be as the noonday; [11] and Yahweh will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones; and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters don't fail. [12] Those who shall be of you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. [13] If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, [and] the holy of Yahweh honorable; and shall honor it, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking [your own] words: [14] then shall you delight yourself in Yahweh; and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.
- Ephesians 5:1-33
[1] Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children. [2] Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. [3] But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; [4] nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks. [5] Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. [6] Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. [7] Therefore don't be partakers with them. [8] For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, [9] for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, [10] proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord. [11] Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. [12] For the things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. [13] But all things, when they are reproved, are revealed by the light, for everything that is revealed is light. [14] Therefore he says, "Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." [15] Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise; [16] redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [17] Therefore don't be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [18] Don't be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, [19] speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; singing, and singing praises in your heart to the Lord; [20] giving thanks always concerning all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father; [21] subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. [22] Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. [23] For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. [24] But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything. [25] Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; [26] that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, [27] that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. [28] Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. [29] For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; [30] because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. [31] "For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh." [32] This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. [33] Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
- Romans 3:23
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
- John 13:34-35
[34] A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. [35] By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
- Proverbs 20:6
Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, But who can find a faithful man?
- 1 Peter 3:7
You husbands, in like manner, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
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