⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone^(A) at her.”^(B)

²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?^{(A) 22} You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?^{(B) 23} You who boast in the law,^(C) do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”^[a](D)

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law,^(E) but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.^(F)

Judging Others^(A)

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.^{(B) 2} For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.^(C)

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse,^(A) you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.^{(B) 2} Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

⁶ On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.^{(A) 7} The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death,^(B) and then the hands of all the people.^(C) You must purge the evil^(D) from among you.

²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish,^(A) but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.^{(B) 26} Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

²⁷ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,^(C) which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

¹² For the word of God^(A) is alive^(B) and active.^(C) Sharper than any double-edged sword,^(D) it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.^{(E) 13} Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.^(F) Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace,^(A) seasoned with salt,^(B) so that you may know how to answer everyone.^(C)