Judging Others and the Speck and Log
Luke 6:37-42
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
Jude
Revelation
Luke.6.37 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- μη: PART
- κρινετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- κριθητε·και: VERB,aor,pass,subj,2,pl
- μη: PART
- καταδικαζετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- ου: PART,neg
- μη: PART
- καταδικασθητε: VERB,aor,pass,subj,2,pl
- απολυετε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- απολυθησεσθε·: VERB,fut,pass,ind,2,pl
Parallels
- Matthew 7:1-2 (verbal): Nearly identical teaching in the Sermon on the Mount: 'Do not judge, that you may not be judged'—same warning about reciprocal judgment and measure.
- Matthew 18:21-35 (thematic): Parable of the Unforgiving Servant develops the theme of forgiving others so that one might receive mercy and not be condemned—extends Luke's 'forgive and you will be forgiven.'
- John 8:7 (thematic): Jesus' reply to the accusers of the woman caught in adultery ('Let him who is without sin cast the first stone') confronts hypocritical judgment and declines human condemnation, resonant with Luke 6:37's prohibition on judging and condemning.
- Romans 14:10-13 (thematic): Paul urges believers not to judge one another because all will stand before God's judgment seat—grounding the prohibition on judging in eschatological accountability, echoing Luke's concern about reciprocal judgment.
- James 4:11-12 (thematic): James forbids speaking evil of or judging a brother, insisting that there is one Lawgiver and Judge (God) alone—reinforcing Luke's instruction to refrain from passing judgment and condemnation.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
- Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Luke.6.38 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- διδοτε: VERB,pres,act,imp,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- δοθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- υμιν·μετρον: PRON,dat,pl,2+NOUN,acc,sg,n
- καλον: ADJ,nom/acc,sg,neut
- πεπιεσμενον: VERB,perf,pass,part,acc,sg,n
- σεσαλευμενον: VERB,perf,pass,part,acc,sg,n
- υπερεκχυννομενον: VERB,pres,pass,part,acc,sg,n
- δωσουσιν: VERB,fut,act,ind,3,pl
- εις: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- κολπον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- υμων·ω: PRON,gen,pl,2+INTJ
- γαρ: PART
- μετρω: NOUN,dat,sg,n
- μετρειτε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- αντιμετρηθησεται: VERB,fut,pass,ind,3,sg
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
Parallels
- Matthew 7:2 (verbal): Nearly identical wording: 'With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.' Matthew's Sermon on the Mount parallel to Luke's saying about reciprocal measurement.
- Galatians 6:7 (thematic): 'A man reaps what he sows'—shares the principle of moral/ethical reciprocity underlying Luke 6:38's promise that one's measure returns to oneself.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6 (thematic): Paul's teaching that 'whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly' links generosity with abundant return, echoing Luke's 'good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over.'
- Proverbs 11:24-25 (thematic): Wisdom tradition affirming that generous giving leads to increase and blessing parallels Luke's assurance that giving results in receiving in abundance.
Alternative generated candidates
- Give, and it will be given to you—good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
- Give, and it will be given to you—an abundant measure, pressed down, shaken together, overflowing, will they pour into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
Luke.6.39 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- δε: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- παραβολην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτοις·Μητι: PRON,dat,pl,m
- δυναται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- τυφλος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- τυφλον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- οδηγειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- ουχι: PART
- αμφοτεροι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- βοθυνον: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- εμπεσουνται: VERB,fut,mid/pass,ind,3,pl
Parallels
- Matthew 15:14 (verbal): Nearly identical wording: 'If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit'—same proverb used to condemn misguided leaders.
- Matthew 23:16 (allusion): Jesus rebukes 'blind guides'—uses the motif of spiritual blindness and misleading teachers that echoes Luke's proverb.
- Matthew 7:3-5 (structural): Close parallel contextually and thematically: following admonitions about judging and hypocrisy (speck and log) appear alongside the theme of true sight and leadership.
- Gospel of Thomas 34 (verbal): Non‑canonical saying preserving the same proverb: 'If a blind man guides a blind man, they will both fall into a ditch,' showing the proverb's wider circulation in early Christian tradition.
Alternative generated candidates
- He told them a parable: 'Can a blind man guide a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?'
- He also told them a parable: Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?
Luke.6.40 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- μαθητης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- υπερ: PREP
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- διδασκαλον: NOUN,acc,sg,masc
- κατηρτισμενος: PART,perf,pass,nom,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- πας: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εσται: VERB,fut,mid,ind,3,sg
- ως: ADV
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- διδασκαλος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 10:24–25 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: 'A disciple is not above his teacher' appears in Matthew with the same saying about the disciple/teacher relationship.
- John 13:16 (verbal): Similar wording and idea: 'A servant is not greater than his master,' expressing the same principle of subordination and likeness to the teacher/master.
- 1 Corinthians 11:1 (thematic): Paul's injunction 'Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ' echoes the theme that followers are to become like their leader/teacher.
- Philippians 3:17 (thematic): Paul urges believers to 'imitate' his example and note those who live according to it, reflecting the idea that disciples should conform to their teacher's pattern.
Alternative generated candidates
- A disciple is not above his teacher; but when fully trained, each disciple will be like his teacher.
- A disciple is not above his teacher; but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Luke.6.41 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- τι: PRON,int,nom,sg,n
- δε: CONJ
- βλεπεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- καρφος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- οφθαλμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αδελφου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- δοκον: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- ιδιω: ADJ,dat,sg,m
- οφθαλμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- ου: PART,neg
- κατανοεις: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 7:3-5 (verbal): Nearly identical teaching and imagery (speck and log); same admonition to remove the plank from your own eye before addressing a brother's speck.
- Luke 6:42 (structural): Immediate Lukan continuation of the same saying (calls the person a hypocrite and repeats the plank/speck admonition), showing the verse is part of a unit.
- Matthew 7:1-2 (thematic): Broader Matthean context forbidding hypocritical judgment ('Do not judge...'), which frames the speck/log saying as concern about judging others.
- Romans 2:1 (thematic): Paul's warning that those who judge others are condemning themselves echoes the ethical principle of self-examination before passing judgment.
- Galatians 6:1 (thematic): Instruction to restore a struggling brother gently while being careful about one's own vulnerability parallels the corrective-but-self-aware stance of the speck/log teaching.
Alternative generated candidates
- Why do you notice the speck in your brother's eye, yet fail to see the plank in your own eye?
- Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and fail to notice the beam in your own?
Luke.6.42 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πως: ADV
- δυνασαι: VERB,pres,mid,ind,2,sg
- λεγειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- αδελφω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- σου·Αδελφε: PRON,gen,sg,2+NOUN,voc,sg,m
- αφες: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- εκβαλω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- καρφος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- οφθαλμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- αυτος: PRON,nom,sg,3,m
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- οφθαλμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- δοκον: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ου: PART,neg
- βλεπων: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,sg,m
- υποκριτα: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- εκβαλε: VERB,aor,act,imp,2,sg
- πρωτον: ADV
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δοκον: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εκ: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- οφθαλμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- και: CONJ
- τοτε: ADV
- διαβλεψεις: VERB,fut,act,ind,2,sg
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- καρφος: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- οφθαλμω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αδελφου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- εκβαλειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
Parallels
- Matthew 7:3-5 (verbal): Nearly identical saying about the 'speck' and the 'log' in the eye; same exhortation to remove your own fault before addressing another's.
- Luke 6:37 (thematic): Immediate thematic context in Luke: 'Do not judge' and related warnings against hypocritical judgment (same teaching cluster on judging and mercy).
- Galatians 6:1 (thematic): Paul urges restoring a brother caught in sin with gentleness and cautions the one who restores to watch himself—parallel concern for self-examination before corrective action.
- Romans 2:1-3 (thematic): Paul rebukes those who judge others while committing the same sins, highlighting the hypocrisy condemned by Jesus' image of the log and speck.
- Matthew 18:15 (structural): Instruction for confronting a sinning brother privately; relates structurally to how one ought to approach another's fault—implying proper attitude and prior self-reflection.
Alternative generated candidates
- You hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
- How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the beam in your own? You hypocrite—first remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; for with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
He told them a parable: Can a blind man lead another blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
A disciple is not above his teacher; but everyone who has been fully trained will be like his teacher.
Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but pay no attention to the beam in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the beam in your own? You hypocrite—first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.