7:4a–b

In the Greek, 7:4a begins with word that is often translated as “or” (English Standard Version). It functions to introduce more of Jesus’ teaching about the “speck” and the “log” in 7:3a–b.

Here is another way to translate this word:

And (New Jerusalem Bible)

The Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions do not translate this word. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this word either.

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye?: As in the previous verse, 7:4 is a rhetorical question. In addition, it continues the metaphor in 7:3. Furthermore, it has a quote within a quote. Consider these three issues before translating this verse:

Issue 1: Rhetorical question

This is a rhetorical question. Like 7:3, it functions as a rebuke and warns a disciple not to say to his brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a beam in his own eye.

Here are some other ways to translate this rebuke and warning:

• As a rhetorical question. In Greek, this rhetorical question begins with a word translated as “how.” However, in some languages, a rebuke does not begin with “how.” So some languages may have to begin this rebuke differently. For example:

And how dare you say to your brother, “Let me take that splinter out of your eye,” when, look, there is a great log in your own? (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-

How can you possibly say to your brother…?
-or-

Why do you say to your brother…?

• As a statement. For example:

There is no way you can possibly say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye.

• As a command. For example:

4aDo not say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ 4bwhen there is a log in your own eye!
-or-

4bWhen there is a log in your own eye, 4ado not say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye.’

Issue 2: Quote within a quote

In some languages, it will be more natural to translate the part in single quotes as indirect speech. For example:

How can you tell your brother that you want to take the speck out of his eye, when there is the log in your own eye?

Issue 3: Metaphor

Verse 7:4 contains the same metaphor as 7:3. In this metaphor, a small sin/fault in your brother’s life is compared to a speck in his eye. A large sin/fault in your life is compared to a log that is in your eye.

Here are some other ways to translate this metaphor:

• Keep the metaphor. See the examples above. If you keep the metaphor, you may want to describe the meaning in a footnote. Here is a sample footnote:

The “speck” represents a small sin/fault or a small number of sins. The “log” represents a large sin/fault or a large number of sins.

• Change the metaphor to a simile and make explicit how it is similar. (Note that even if you made the similarities in the metaphor explicit in 7:3, it may not be necessary to do the same thing here.) For example:

Or how can you say to your brother that you want to ⌊help him⌋ take the ⌊small sin out of his life. This is like taking a⌋ speck out of his eye. ⌊How can you say that⌋ when you have ⌊a large sin in your life which is like⌋ a log in your own eye?

7:4a

brother: The word brother has the same meaning here as in 7:3a. It refers to a fellow believer.

7:4b

while there is still a beam in your own eye: The Greek text here can be translated literally as “and look, the plank/log (is) in your eye.” The word translated “look” is used to bring attention to the words that follow.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Look! A plank/log ⌊is⌋ in your eye!
-or-
Look at yourself! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. (New Century Version)

-or-

And a log is in your own eye!

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