11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters. Anyone who defames or judges a fellow believer[a] defames and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.(A) 12 There is one lawgiver and judge[b] who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:11 Or his brother or sister
  2. 4:12 Other mss omit and judge

Warning against Judging Others

11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.[a] 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. 12 God 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?

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Footnotes

  1. 4:11 Greek brothers.

11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.(A) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[a] or judges them(B) speaks against the law(C) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,(D) but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,(E) the one who is able to save and destroy.(F) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?(G)

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:11 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.