Matthew 7:1 (ASV)

Passage

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Nearby Context

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you.

Matthew 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother`s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "judge" and "judged". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "judge" and "judged", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The next verse adds "For with what judgment ye judge ye...", so "judge" and "judged" should be read forward into that movement. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "judge" and "judged" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.