judge vs. condemn

The Greek terms krino and katakrino/katadikazo that are translated as “judge” and “condemn” respectively in English are translated with only one term in Kutu (tagusa). (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

See also do not condemn.

complete verse (Matthew 7:1)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 7:1:

  • Uma: “‘Don’t criticize others, so that God also will not criticize us.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘Do not put-down/criticize your companion so that God will not judge you,” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Don’t criticize your companion so that God won’t criticize you.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Jesus continued to teach saying, ‘Don’t turn-yourselves-into (lit. cause-your bodies -to-become) those who judge your companions so that God also will not judge and condemn you.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Jesus continued his teaching, saying, ‘Put far away the habit of always criticizing your (pl.) companion, so that you won’t be being criticized too.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Do not want to make judgments on what other people do, so that God will not judge you in what you do.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
  • Martu Wangka: “You should not rubbish another person (to make a decision that what they are doing is wrong and talk against them). You should think carefully so that later, the Father does not scold you and send you off. If you think carefully about another person without rubbishing them, the Father later, will think carefully about you without scolding you and sending you off.” (Source: Carl Gross)

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Translation commentary on Matthew 7:1

In Greek this verse reads Judge not, that you be not judged. In English the verb Judge generally requires an object, and for that reason Good News Translation has supplied the object “others.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bijbel in Gewone Taal, and Bible en français courant have done the same thing, as has Barclay.

Most translators avoid rendering Judge as “criticize.” Some use a word that means to examine the facts about someone and make a decision, very much as a judge might make a decision. More often, however, translators have felt the context indicates here that the idea is more “declare guilty” or “condemn.” Thus, possible translations are “Don’t pass judgment on people,” “Don’t decide other people are guilty,” or “Don’t condemn people.”

The Greek passive that you be not judged is assumed by the majority of scholars to be a reference to God as judge. Most translations maintain the passive form and so are ambiguous. Jerusalem Bible retains the passive, but with a footnote indicating the meaning: “Do not judge others if you do not wish to be judged by God.” Several translations switch to the active, with God as the explicit subject (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant, Bijbel in Gewone Taal). Phillips obviously takes it as human judgment: “Don’t criticize people, and you will not be criticized.” In the solemn context of the Sermon on the Mount, it seems extremely doubtful that Jesus would be warning against the danger of reciprocal criticism from one’s fellowman. The situation demands that God be the subject of the passive verb.

Failure to make “God” explicit in the second part almost invariably leads people to believe the verse is saying “Don’t judge other people so they won’t judge you.” For this reason it is advisable to say “so God won’t judge you,” as in Good News Translation and other dynamic translations, or “so God won’t condemn you.” Jewish writers used the passive to avoid pronouncing God’s name, but the hearers understood that God was the agent. Few cultures today share this taboo, and there is no reason to maintain it, especially if the passive would not be correctly understood.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .