James 4:11 · Bible study
James 4:11 Commentary: How Slander Attacks the Law
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore James 4:11: why slandering a brother is speaking against the law itself, and what it means to be a doer not a judge.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Slandering a brother is not only a relational sin but an attack on God's law, because it rejects the commandment to love and usurps God's role as Judge.
- Key words: katalaleō (speak against/slander), krinō (judge), nomos (law), poiētēs (doer), kritēs (judge).
- Main debate: Whether 'the law' refers to the Mosaic law, the royal law of love, or the law of liberty; and whether 'brother' means fellow Christian only or extends to all people.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God as sole Lawgiver and Judge; human speech as an act of either submission or rebellion.
- Best use: Teaching on gossip, church unity, and the proper place of accountability versus judgment.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Don’t speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Speak not one against another, brethren; he who is speaking against a brother, and is judging his brother, doth speak against law, and doth judge law, and if law thou dost judge, thou art not a doer of law but a judge;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Speak not against one another, brethren. He that speaks against [his] brother, or judges his brother, speaks against [the] law and judges [the] law. But if thou judgest [the] law, thou art not doer of [the] law, but judge.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Detract not one another, my brethren. He that detracteth his brother, or he that judgeth his brother, detracteth the law and judgeth the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Hermanos, no murmuréis los unos de los otros. El que murmura del hermano, y juzga á su hermano, este tal murmura de la ley, y juzga á la ley; pero si tú juzgas á la ley, no eres guardador de la ley, sino juez.
Irmãos, não faleis mal uns dos outros. Quem fala mal de um irmão, ou julga o seu irmão, fala mal da lei, e julga a lei. E se julgas a lei, não és um cumpridor da lei, mas, sim, juiz.
Ne parlez point mal les uns des autres, frères. Celui qui parle mal d’ un frère, ou qui juge son frère, parle mal de la loi et juge la loi. Or, si tu juges la loi, tu n’ es pas observateur de la loi, mais tu en es juge.
Afterredet nicht untereinander, liebe Brüder. Wer seinem Bruder afterredet und richtet seinen Bruder, der afterredet dem Gesetz und richtet das Gesetz. Richtest du aber das Gesetz, so bist du nicht ein Täter des Gesetzes, sondern ein Richter.
Broeders, spreekt niet kwalijk van elkander. Die van zijn broeder kwalijk spreekt en zijn broeder oordeelt, die spreekt kwalijk van de wet, en oordeelt de wet. Indien gij nu de wet oordeelt, zo zijt gij geen dader der wet, maar een rechter.
Non parlate gli uni contro gli altri, fratelli. Chi parla contro un fratello, o giudica il suo fratello, parla contro la legge e giudica la legge. Ora, se tu giudichi la legge, non sei un osservatore della legge, ma un giudice.
Nie obmawiajcie jedni drugich, bracia! Kto obmawia brata i potępia brata swego, obmawia zakon i potępia zakon; a jeźli potępisz zakon, nie jesteś czynicielem zakonu, ale sędzią.
Не злословьте друг друга, братия: кто злословит брата или судит брата своего, того злословит закон и судит закон; а если ты судишь закон, то ты не исполнитель закона, но судья.
弟兄們，你們不可 彼此 批評。人若批評 弟兄， 論斷 弟兄，就是批評 律法， 論斷 律法。 你若 論斷 律法，就不 是 遵行 律法，乃是 判斷人的。
Do not say evil against one another, my brothers. He who says evil against his brother or makes himself his brother's judge, says evil against the law and is judging the law: and in judging the law you become, not a doer of the law but a judge.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · James 4:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that James 4:11 issues a direct command to stop evil-speaking (katalaleō, 'to speak against, slander'). The sin is not merely interpersonal; it strikes at God's law. Clarke notes a rabbinic maxim that 'no one could speak evil of his brother without denying God.' Calvin argues that those who slander 'put their own morosity in place of the law.' Matthew Henry stresses that because believers are brothers, defaming one another is unnatural. Gill and Barnes both see the act as effectively condemning the law that prohibits slander (Leviticus 19:16). The person who speaks against a brother sets himself above the law as a judge, discarding the posture of a doer. Wesley calls evil-speaking 'a grand hindrance of peace.' The consensus is clear: slandering a sibling in Christ is a theological offense that challenges God's authority and the royal law of love (James 2:8).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Brother as fellow Christian only: The letter consistently addresses 'brothers' as insiders (James 1:2, 2:1) and the context deals with intra-church conflicts.
- Brother includes all humanity: James 2:8 commands love of neighbor, and the logic of slandering anyone opposes God's law.
- Law as Mosaic law: Jewish context; Leviticus 19:16 prohibits slander, and James elsewhere equates 'the law' with the Torah.
- Law as law of Christ: James calls it 'the law of liberty' (James 1:25, 2:12), a new covenant ethic rooted in Jesus's teaching.
What is clear: It is clear that evil-speaking against a brother is a sin that opposes God's law and arrogates to oneself the role of judge that belongs to God alone.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'brother' | The term primarily addresses fellow believers, given the letter's address to 'brothers' (James 1:2). | Some commentators (e.g., Cambridge) extend it to any human being, noting that Jesus's command to love neighbor applies universally. Others (e.g., Gill, Matthew Henry) keep the focus within the Christian community. |
| Reference of 'the law' | It is God's law, not merely human tradition. James has previously called it the 'royal law' and 'law of liberty' (James 2:8, 12). | Some (e.g., Barnes) think it is specifically the law of Christ that frees from Jewish ceremonial observances. Others (e.g., Calvin, Alford) see the moral law as interpreted by Christ. Gill and Clarke view it as the Mosaic law still binding. |
| Scope of the prohibition | Evil-speaking (katalaleō) is forbidden; it includes slander, false reports, and malicious gossip (Matthew Henry, Wesley). | Does it prohibit all negative speech? Some (e.g., Poole) carve out exceptions for reproof and admonition. Others hold that even true statements can be sin when spoken with harmful intent. |
| What it means to 'judge the law' | To judge the law is to set oneself above it, implying that the law is deficient or that one's own standard is higher (Calvin, Gill). | Is this a formal rejection of the law's authority, or an informal contradiction through behavior? Clarke says it 'intimates that the law is improper or unjust'; Barnes sees it as practical denial that the law binds. |
Historical & Cultural Context
James writes to Jewish Christians scattered abroad (James 1:1). These communities faced internal strife, quarrels and fights (James 4:1-2), partiality (James 2:1-4), and uncontrolled tongues (James 3:1-12). The sin of evil-speaking (katalaleō) was particularly dangerous in such settings. In Jewish tradition, slander (lashon hara) was considered a capital offense; Clarke cites a rabbinic view that 'detraction is the devil's crime originally.' The law James refers to is likely what he earlier calls 'the royal law' (James 2:8), quoting Leviticus 19:18: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' That same chapter of Leviticus also forbids slander (Leviticus 19:16). So to speak against a brother is to break the very law one claims to uphold.
James's readers were probably divided over observance of Jewish customs (Barnes suggests disputes over 'holy days, ceremonial observances, distinctions of meats'). Some judged those who did not follow their scruples. Calvin sees the root as 'hypocrisy' and the desire to exalt self by condemning others. The command 'Speak not evil one of another' echoes Jesus's teaching in Matthew 7:1-5 and the broader apostolic tradition (Romans 2:1). The letter's call to be 'doers of the word' (James 1:22) is directly countered by the one who sets himself up as a critic of both brother and law.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for James 4:11. Some manuscripts include slight differences in word order (e.g., the position of 'your brother') but none that change the meaning. The verse is stable across the major Greek textual traditions.
Reception History
James 4:11 has been a key text in Christian moral teaching about the tongue. Early monastic communities cited it to regulate speech in communal life. In the Reformation, Calvin used it to rebuke the presumption of those who 'set up their own morosity in the place of the divine law.' The verse has been a staple in sermons on gossip and church unity across Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions. Its pairing with Matthew 7:1 has reinforced the call to refrain from rash judgment. In modern times, it is often referenced in discussions about social media and the need for charity in speech.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Stop the slander (v. 11a): James prohibits all evil-speaking among brothers. The present imperative 'do not speak against' calls for a habitual stop to a common sin.
- See the deeper target (v. 11b, c): Slandering a brother is not just personal; it 'speaks against the law' and judges it. The law that commands love is implicitly condemned by the slanderer's actions.
- Swap seats, not roles (v. 11d): To judge the law is to abandon being a doer and to usurp the office of judge, a role that belongs to God alone (v. 12).
Five-Point Outline
- The command: 'Speak not evil one of another, brothers.' (v. 11a)
- The offender described: 'He who speaks against a brother and judges his brother.' (v. 11b)
- The offense escalated: 'Speaks against the law and judges the law.' (v. 11c)
- The offender's self-indictment: 'If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.' (v. 11d)
- The only true Judge: 'There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.' (v. 12)
Illustration Hooks
- A church small group where members regularly critique each other's parenting, finances, or spiritual disciplines, thinking they are helping, but actually sitting in judgment on matters the law covers by love.
- Social media comment threads where believers tear down a public Christian figure for a perceived failing, ignoring the plank in their own eye (Matthew 7:3-5).
- A workplace scenario where coworkers gossip about a colleague's mistakes, framing it as 'concern' but functioning as a court of public opinion.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does this verse mean we can never speak about someone's sin, even if it's true?
- How do I balance confronting a brother in love (Matthew 18:15) with not judging him?
- What about when I'm sincerely trying to discern someone's character, is that forbidden?
Leading a Discussion
James 4:11 cuts to the heart of how our words reflect our view of God's law. Before you discuss, take a moment to consider the last time you spoke about someone else in a way that diminished them. This passage does not condemn all evaluation (the church needs discernment), but it does condemn the kind of speech that tears down a brother and sets yourself up as a judge over the law.
Discussion Questions
- What does James command in verse 11a? What word does he use to address his readers, and why does that matter?
- How does James connect speaking against a brother to speaking against the law? What law is he most likely referring to (see James 2:8)?
- What does it mean to 'judge the law'? In what sense does a slanderer become a judge rather than a doer?
- Read Matthew 7:1-5 and Romans 2:1. How do these cross-references reinforce James's point?
- Where is the line between godly discernment and sinful judging? When is it appropriate to call out a brother's sin?
- How does evil-speaking damage the unity of a church? Give a specific example from your context.
- What practical steps can we take as a group to guard our tongues and encourage one another instead of slandering?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 140:11 | An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him. |
| Matthew 7:1 | “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. |
| Matthew 7:2 | For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. |
| Luke 6:37 | Don’t judge, and you won’t be judged. Don’t condemn, and you won’t be condemned. Set free, and you will be set free. |
| Romans 2:1 | Therefore you are without excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. |
| Romans 2:13 | For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified |
| Romans 7:7 | What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” |
| Romans 7:12 | Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, righteous, and good. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the rabbinical view that speaking evil of a brother amounts to denying God and becoming an atheist. He explains that by slandering others, a person rejects God's law that condemns such speech and sets up their own conduct as the standard instead.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes connects the warning against speaking evil of a brother to disputes over Jewish ceremonial laws. He argues that Christians who condemned others for not observing these rituals were not just judging their neighbor but were also passing judgment on the law of Christian liberty itself, which had set believers free from such obligations.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the real evil in slandering a brother is the arrogant claim to set oneself up as a judge over him. When we condemn another's actions simply because they do not match our own strict standards, we are effectively replacing God's law with our own morose rule.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator connects speaking evil of a brother to judging and thus breaking Christ’s law itself. He broadens the term brother to include every child of Adam, not just fellow believers, making the sin of slander an offense against the whole human family.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Speake not euill one of another, brethren. He that speaketh euill of his brother, or he that condemneth his brother, speaketh euill of ye Law, and condemneth the Lawe: and if thou condemnest the Lawe, thou art not an obseruer of the Lawe, but a iudge.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that speaking evil of a brother is not merely a personal offense but an attack on God's law itself. To slander or condemn another believer is to imply that the law forbidding such speech is unjust, thereby usurping the role of the lawgiver and setting oneself up as judge.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
312. Jam 4:11 . Barrow. Against detraction. Works, 1:523. Sydney Smith. On Slander. Sermons, 257. Chalmers. The guilt of calumny, Posth, Works, 6:
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry insists that "speaking evil" covers any words that harm another person, even if what is said happens to be true. Christians must not defame one another because they are brethren, and the law of kindness should govern their tongues as much as truth and justice do.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out that speaking evil of another person is not just a damage to peace between people but also an attack on God's law itself. The person who slanders a neighbor is, in effect, speaking against the law that forbids it, setting himself up as a judge over the law rather than a doer of it.