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.

Scriptures Plain & Simple (Matthew 7:1-6)

Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Matthew 7:1-6:

Condemn others, and God will condemn you.
       God will be as hard on you, as you are on others.

Do you know someone with a sin the size of a speck?
If your sin is as large as a log, you’d better roll it away first,
       before you attempt to wipe away that tiny speck.
Otherwise, you’re a first-class hypocrite.
Don’t share what is sacred with wild dogs!
       They’ll turn and attack.
Don’t decorate pigs with earrings of pearls!
       They’ll trample those pearls in the mud.

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Matthew 7:1

Section 7:1–6

Jesus taught about not condemning others

In this section, Jesus taught that his disciples must correct their own sins before correcting the sins of others. Jesus used a proverbial saying about a speck and a log to help the disciples remember the teaching. He warned his followers against being overly critical and condemning people and their actions too quickly (7:1). But he also warned against being uncritical and accepting of people who may then turn against them (7:6).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Do not judge others
-or-
Do not be too quick to condemn

Paragraph 7:1–5

Even though a new chapter begins at 7:1, Jesus continued “the Sermon on the Mount” which he began in chapter 5. In some languages, it may be natural to begin this chapter with something like:

⌊Jesus continued,⌋
-or-

⌊Jesus continued to teach and said,⌋

In other languages, no introduction is necessary here. You may want to begin this chapter as you began chapter 6.

7:1a

Do not judge: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as judge means “judge or condemn harshly.” For example:

Don’t condemn others (Contemporary English Version)

In this context the word judge does not refer to rendering a judgment in a court or council. This command does not forbid leaders to make decisions or judgments. It is a command not to judge in a harsh or unfair way.

7:1b

or you will be judged: There are several ways to interpret the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as or:

(1) It indicates purpose. For example:

so that you may not be judged (New Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word, NET Bible, King James Version)

(2) It indicates result. For example:

and you will not be judged (New Living Translation (2004))

(Berean Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

in order that you not be judged
-or-
for the purpose that you not be condemned

you will be judged: This clause is passive.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

you will not be judged (NET Bible)

• Use an active verb. God is the one who will judge/condemn. For example:

God will not judge you (Good News Translation)

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