Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
What does Matthew 7:4 mean?
We must judge ourselves, and judge of our own acts, but not make our word a law to everybody. We must not judge rashly, nor pass judgment upon our brother without any ground.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Matthew 7:1-5 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Matthew 7:4
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Context in Matthew 7
Show chapter context
Matthew 7 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as birth and preparation. Matthew presents Jesus as Davidic Messiah, new Moses, teacher of the kingdom, suffering Son of Man, and risen Lord who commissions the nations. Read this chapter with the wider themes of fulfillment, kingdom of heaven, and discipleship in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
Explore by topic
Bible verses about justice and mercy
Key texts on public righteousness, neighbor-love, social ethics, compassion, and the prophetic refusal to separate worship from justice.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.