New Living Translation
James 4:11
11Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
James 4:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
- New International Version (NIV)Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
Context of James 4:11
9Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? 13Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.”
Read all of James 4James 4:11 word by word
Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί· ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ ἢ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου ἀλλὰ κριτής.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Speakκαταλαλέωkatalaleō · to slanderG2635
- notμήmē · notG3361
- one of anotherἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
- brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- He thatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- judgethκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- of the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- butδέde · thenG1161
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- thou artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- a doerποιητήςpoiētēs · doerG4163
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- a judgeκριτήςkritēs · judgeG2923
Cross-references for James 4:11
- Psalms 140:11Don’t let liars prosper here in our land. Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.
- Ephesians 4:31Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.
- 1 Timothy 3:11In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
- 2 Timothy 3:3They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.
- 1 Peter 2:1So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.
- Matthew 7:1“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
- Luke 6:37“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.
- Romans 2:1You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
- Romans 14:3Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
- Romans 7:7Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”
- James 1:22But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
- Romans 2:13For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.
Commentaries on James 4:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Speak not evil one of another - Perhaps this exhortation refers to evil speaking, slander, and backbiting in general, the writer having no particular persons in view. It may, however, refer to the contentions among the zealots, and different factions then prevailing among this wretched people, or to their calumnies against those of their brethren who had embraced the Christian faith. He that speaketh evil of his brother - It was an avowed and very general…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Speak not evil one of another, brethren - It is not known to whom the apostle here particularly refers, nor is it necessary to know. It is probable that among those whom he addressed there were some who were less circumspect in regard to speaking of others than they should be, and perhaps this evil prevailed. There are few communities where such an injunction would not be proper at any time, and few churches where some might not be found to whom the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-17Verses 11-17 Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. Christians are brethren. And to break God's commands, is to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they laid too great a restraint upon us. We have the law of God, which is a rule to all; let us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule to those about us, and let us be careful that we be not condemned of the Lord. "Go to now," is a call to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11do not slander one another: This appeal for peace among Christians means they must not speak badly about one another. Speaking badly about a neighbor is like speaking badly about God's law. This is because the law forbids slander and requires loving your neighbor (2:8; Leviticus 19:16–18; Matthew 7:1–5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Having mentioned sins of the tongue (Jas 3:5-12), he shows here that evil-speaking flows from the same spirit of exalting self at the expense of one's neighbor as caused the "fightings" reprobated in this chapter (Jas 4:1). Speak not evil--literally, "Speak not against" one another. brethren--implying the inconsistency of such depreciatory speaking of one another in brethren. speaketh evil of the law--for the law in commanding, "Love thy neighbor as…Read the comment
Topics related to James 4:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on James 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries