7:24a

Stop judging by outward appearances: Jesus was rebuking the people for making judgments based on what things look like on the outside (their appearance). He was saying that they were wrong to criticize him for healing someone on a Sabbath. This is a negative command, a command to stop doing something.

In some languages it may be natural to translate it as a positive command. For example:

Look beneath the surface (New Living Translation (2004))

by outward appearances: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by outward appearances means “based on what things or actions look like on the outside.” It refers to the outer appearance of something as opposed to the reality.

Here is another way to translate this phrase:

by the way things look (New Century Version)
-or-
by external standards (Good News Translation)

7:24b

and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and here connects a negative statement (7:24a) to a positive statement (7:24b). The negative statement says what is not true, while the positive statement says what is true. This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis.

Here are some ways to show the emphasis:

• Use a conjunction like “but” as in the New Revised Standard Version. For example:

You must not judge by the appearance of things but by the reality! (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

• After the negative statement, use a conjunction other than “but” to indicate the positive statement. For example:

Stop judging by outward appearance! Instead, judge correctly. (God’s Word)
-or-
Stop judging by external standards, and judge by true standards. (Good News Translation)

• Do not use a conjunction. For example:

Don’t judge by appearances. Judge by what is right. (Contemporary English Version)

• Change the order of the clauses. For example:

Judge correctly, not just based on what things look like on the outside.

You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.

start judging justly: This clause means to judge fairly (with justice). It is in contrast to the judgment based on external appearance that Jesus condemned in 7:24a.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

judge by true standards (Good News Translation)
-or-
judge by what is really right (New Century Version)
-or-
be just in your judgements (Revised English Bible)

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