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11 Believers, do not speak against or slander one another. He who speaks [self-righteously] against a brother or [a]judges his brother [hypocritically], speaks against the Law and judges the Law. If you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy [the one God who has the absolute power of life and death]; but who are you to [hypocritically or self-righteously] pass judgment on your neighbor?

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:11 This is not a prohibition of all judgment, nor is it a command to stop using godly wisdom, common sense, and moral courage together with God’s written word to discern right from wrong, to distinguish between morality and immorality, and to judge doctrinal truth. There are many judgments that are not only legitimate, but are commanded (cf John 7:24; 1 Cor 5:5, 12; Gal 1:8, 9; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 10); however, you cannot judge another if you are committing the same type of sin.

11 (A)Do not speak against one another, (B)brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or (C)judges his brother or sister, speaks against (D)the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not (E)a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one (F)Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is (G)able to save and to destroy; but (H)who are you, [a]judging your neighbor?

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Footnotes

  1. James 4:12 Lit the one judging