“Judge not” – hardly any of Jesus’ sayings is quoted so often. He warns against making hasty judgments about others and reminds us who the true Judge is. Here you will find 20 Bible verses about judging and judgment.
Judge not
Jesus’ warning against judging.
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Judge not, lest you be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.
Matthew 7:1-2
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But what do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, and do you not see the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye,” when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye!
Matthew 7:3-5
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Judge not, and you will not be judged. Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6:37Forgiveness
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Therefore, no human being can excuse himself, whatever he may be, who judges. For in judging another, you condemn yourself; for you do exactly what you judge.
Romans 2:1
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But you, what do you judge your brother for? Or, you other person, what do you despise your brother for? We will all be brought before Christ’s judgment seat.
Romans 14:10
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Therefore let us no longer judge one another; rather, let us judge that no one should cause their brother to stumble or offend.
Romans 14:13
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Do not speak evil of one another, beloved brothers. Whoever speaks evil of their brother and judges their brother speaks evil of the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver who can save and condemn. Who are you to judge another?
James 4:11-12
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When they came to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
John 8:7
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Judge not by appearances, but judge with right judgment.
John 7:24
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Therefore do not judge before the time, until the LORD comes, who will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the thoughts of the heart; then everyone will receive their due praise from God.
1 Corinthians 4:5Recognition
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But a severe judgment will come upon the one who has not shown mercy; and mercy will triumph over judgment.
James 2:13Mercy
God, the righteous Judge
The final judgment belongs to God.
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God is a righteous Judge and a God who threatens daily.
Psalm 7:12
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And he will judge the earth with justice and rule the nations with righteousness.
Psalm 9:9
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Before the LORD; for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the earth with justice and the nations with his truth.
Psalm 96:13
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Far be it from you to do such things and kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous may be like the wicked! Far be it from you, who are Judge over all the world! You will not judge in such a way.
Genesis 18:25
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For we must all stand before Christ’s judgment seat, so that everyone will receive what they have done during their lifetime, whether good or evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10
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For no creature is hidden from his sight, but everything is naked and exposed to his eyes. We are talking about him.
Hebrews 4:13God sees me
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For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through him.
John 3:17Salvation
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Truly, truly, I say to you: Whoever hears my word and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 5:24Eternal lifeHell
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And the fear of the LORD will be his good fragrance. He will not judge according to what his eyes see, nor will he pronounce judgment according to what his ears hear, but he will judge the poor with justice and pronounce right judgment for the needy in the land, and he will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and kill the wicked with the breath of his lips.
Isaiah 11:3-4
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
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What Does Jesus Mean by “Judge Not”?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Judge not, lest you be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1-2). Then comes the famous image of the speck in your brother’s eye and the log in your own eye. Jesus is not forbidding every distinction between good and evil – in the same chapter he says that false prophets should be recognized by their fruit. He warns against a judgment that condemns from above, is self-righteous, and gives the other person no chance.
Let the One Who Is Without Sin Cast the First Stone
When the scribes bring a woman who was caught in adultery, Jesus says, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). One by one, they leave. Jesus does not excuse the act – “sin no more” –, but he does not condemn the woman. The final judgment belongs to God, and he is both righteous and merciful. Learn more about Bible verses about mercy, Bible verses about justice, and Bible verses about grace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Does It Say, “Judge Not, Lest You Be Judged”?
In Matthew 7:1, and similarly in Luke 6:37.
Are Christians Not Allowed to Judge at All?
Jesus warns against self-righteous condemnation (Matthew 7:1-5), but at the same time calls us to “judge with right judgment” (John 7:24), meaning to distinguish between good and evil honestly and fairly.
