Matthew 7 · Verse 5

Matthew 7:5

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Matthew 7:5, King James Version

Matthew 7:5 in other translations

BSB	You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
WEB	You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.
ASV	Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
YLT	Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
DARBY	Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine eye, and then thou wilt see clearly to cast out the mote out of the eye of thy brother.
BBE	You false one, first take out the bit of wood from your eye, then will you see clearly to take out the grain of dust from your brother's eye.
Webster	Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thy own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

What does Matthew 7:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

5. Thou hypocrite--"Hypocrite." first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye--Our Lord uses a most hyperbolical, but not unfamiliar figure, to express the monstrous inconsistency of this conduct. The "hypocrisy" which, not without indignation, He charges it with, consists in the pretense of a zealous and compassionate charity, which cannot possibly be real in one who suffers worse faults to lie uncorrected in himself. He only is fit to be a reprover of others who jealously and severely judges himself. Such persons will not only be slow to undertake the office of censor on their neighbors, but, when constrained in faithfulness to deal with them, will make it evident that they do it with reluctance and not satisfaction, with moderation and not exaggeration, with love and not harshness. Prostitution of Holy Things (Mt 7:6). The opposite extreme to that of censoriousness is here condemned--want of discrimination of character.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out, etc. Christ directs us to the proper way of forming an opinion of others, and of reproving and correcting them. By first amending our own faults, or casting the beam out of our eye, we can consistently advance to correct the faults of others. There will then be no hypocrisy in our conduct. We shall also see clearly to do it. The beam, the thing that obscured our sight, will be removed; and we shall more clearly discern the small object that obscures the sight of our brother. The sentiment is, that the readiest way to judge of the imperfections of others is to be free from greater ones ourselves. This qualifies us for judging, makes us candid and consistent, and enables us to see things as they are, and to make proper allowances for frailty and imperfection.

(t) "cast out the beam" Gal 6:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 5 Thou hypocrite - A hypocrite, who professes to be what he is not, (viz. a true Christian), is obliged, for the support of the character he has assumed, to imitate all the dispositions and actions of a Christian; consequently he must reprove sin, and endeavor to show an uncommon affection for the glory of God. Our Lord unmasks this vile pretender to saintship, and shows him that his hidden hypocrisy, covered with the garb of external sanctity, is more abominable in the sight of God than the openly professed and practised iniquity of the profligate. In after times, the Jews made a very bad use of this saying: "I wonder," said Rabbi Zarphon, "whether there be any in this age that will suffer reproof? If one say to another, Cast out the mote out of thine eye, he is immediately ready to answer, Cast out the beam that is in thine own eye." This proverbial mode of speech the Gloss interprets thus: "Cast out? קסים kisim, the mote, that is, the little sin, that is in thy hand: to which he answered, Cast out the great sin that is in thine. So they could not reprove, because all were sinners." See Lightfoot.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 7:1-6

We must judge ourselves, and judge of our own acts, but not make our word a law to everybody. We must not judge rashly, nor pass judgment upon our brother without any ground. We must not make the worst of people. Here is a just reproof to those who quarrel with their brethren for small faults, while they allow themselves in greater ones. Some sins are as motes, while others are as beams; some as a gnat, others as a…

Read the full comment on Matthew 7:1-6 →

Matthew 7:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὑποκριτά,hupokritaHypocrite!G5273

ἔκβαλεekbaledo cast outG1544

πρῶτονprōtonfirstG4413

ἐκekfromG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

ὀφθαλμοῦophthalmoueyeG3788

σοῦsouof youG4771

τὴνtēntheG3588

δοκόν,dokonbeam,G1385

καὶkaiandG2532

τότεtotethenG5119

διαβλέψειςdiablepseisyou will see clearlyG1227

ἐκβαλεῖνekbaleinto cast outG1544

τὸtotheG3588

κάρφοςkarphossplinterG2595

ἐκekfromG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

ὀφθαλμοῦophthalmoueyeG3788

τοῦtouof theG3588

ἀδελφοῦadelphoubrotherG80

σου.¶souof you.G4771

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 7:5

Luke 6:42
Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.
Psalms 51:9-13
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. …
Matthew 23:13-28
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! …
Luke 13:15
The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
Luke 4:23
And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Matthew 22:18
But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
Luke 12:56
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Thou hypocrite.
22:18; 23:14-28; Lu 12:56; 13:15
first.
Ps 51:9-13; Lu 4:23; 6:42; Ac 19:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 7:4
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:5
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:6
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Read all of Matthew 7

Matthew 7:5 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¡Hipócrita! echa primero la viga de tu ojo, y entonces mirarás en echar la mota del ojo de tu hermano.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Hypocrite, ôte premièrement de ton œil la poutre, et alors tu verras clair pour ôter le fétu de l’œil de ton frère.
German Elberfelder 1871	Heuchler, ziehe zuerst den Balken aus deinem Auge, und dann wirst du klar sehen, um den Splitter aus deines Bruders Auge zu ziehen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Hypocrita, ejice primum trabem de oculo tuo, et tunc videbis ejicere festucam de oculo fratris tui.