Luke 6:37 · Bible study
Luke 6:37 Commentary: The Call to Release Others
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What does Jesus mean by not judging, not condemning, and releasing others? Unpack the grammar, context, and promise of this radical call to mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus prohibits a condemning, self-righteous attitude and commands active release of others, grounding both in the Father’s mercy.
- Key words: krinō (judge), katadikazō (condemn), apoluō (release); note the strong negation ou mē in the promises.
- Main debate: Whether the commands forbid all judgment or only a condemning spirit, and whether the promises are absolute or tempered by God’s sovereign will.
- Theological theme: Mercy and judgment; the character of God as the pattern for human relationships.
- Best use: A foundational text for teachings on forgiveness, church unity, and the danger of spiritual pride.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And judge not, and ye shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: release, and ye shall be released:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And judge not, and ye may not be judged; condemn not, and ye may not be condemned; release, and ye shall be released.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And judge not, and ye shall not be judged; condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Remit, and it shall be remitted to you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Judge not: and you shall not be judged. Condemn not: and you shall not be condemned. Forgive: and you shall be forgiven.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
No juzguéis, y no|strong="G3756, G3361" seréis juzgados: no condenéis, y no|strong="G3756, G3361" seréis condenados: perdonad, y seréis perdonados.
Não julgueis, e não sereis julgados; não condeneis, e não sereis condenados; liberai, e vos liberarão.
Ne jugez point, et vous ne serez point jugés; ne condamnez point, et vous ne serez point condamnés; absolvez, et vous serez absous.
Richtet nicht, so werdet ihr auch nicht gerichtet. Verdammet nicht, so werdet ihr nicht verdammt. Vergebet, so wird euch vergeben.
En oordeelt niet, en gij zult niet geoordeeld worden; verdoemt niet, en gij zult niet verdoemd worden; laat los, en gij zult losgelaten worden.
Non giudicate, e non sarete giudicati; non condannate, e non sarete condannati; perdonate, e vi sarà perdonato.
Nie sądźcie, a nie bądziecie sądzeni; nie potępiajcie, a nie będziecie potępieni, a będzie wam odpuszczono.
Не судите, и не будете судимы; не осуждайте, и не будете осуждены; прощайте, и прощены будете;
「 你們不要 論斷人，就 不 被論斷； 你們不要 定人的罪，就 不 被定罪；你們要饒恕人，就 必蒙饒恕（饒恕：原文是釋放）；
Be not judges of others, and you will not be judged: do not give punishment to others, and you will not get punishment yourselves: make others free, and you will be made free:
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 6:37
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 this verse does not forbid all judgment. The prohibition targets a harsh, condemning spirit that usurps God's role. The Cambridge Bible for Schools notes that a 'righteous judgment' in a forbearing spirit remains valid. Gill and Clarke stress that the commands are grounded in God's mercy: to judge or condemn others invites the same treatment from God, while forgiveness secures forgiveness. The key term 'release' (Greek apoluete) is the opposite of condemn, as Vincent points out: Jesus urges not merely ceasing negative action but actively setting others free from our condemnation. The three parallel clauses move from prohibition to positive command, all under the banner of imitating the Father's mercy (v.36). The future passive verbs, 'you will be judged' and 'you will be condemned', are in the aorist subjunctive with ou mē, a construction that emphatically denies the outcome: such judgment will certainly not fall on those who extend mercy. Yet Calvin cautions that the temporal promises are not absolute; believers may suffer unjust slanders in this life, but God ultimately vindicates them.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Absolute prohibition view: Interprets the command as forbidding any negative judgment of another’s life or actions, relying on the plain wording and parallels in Matthew 7:1.
- Merciful discernment view: Distinguishes between condemning judgment and righteous discernment; cites John 7:24 ('judge righteous judgment') and the surrounding context of church discipline (Matthew 18).
- Contextual mercy view: Emphasizes that the entire passage (Luke 6:27–38) is about mercy, so the prohibitions are a call to a merciful heart rather than a precise rule; based on v.36 and the parable of the speck and the beam (vv.41–42).
What is clear: Jesus commands his followers to practice mercy and release toward others as the direct reflection of the Father’s mercy, and that all three commands—no judging, no condemning, active release—are inseparable from a life shaped by the gospel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'judge' | All traditions agree that Jesus forbids a self-righteous, merciless, condemning judgment of others. | Some argue that this prohibits any negative evaluation of another’s sin or hypocrisy; others contend that righteous discernment (as in John 7:24 and church discipline) remains permissible, and that the command only forbids final, condemning verdicts that usurp God’s role. |
| The nature of the promised reciprocity | There is broad agreement that human forgiveness opens the door to divine forgiveness, as seen in the Lord’s Prayer and Matthew 6:14-15. | Calvin notes that temporal fulfillment is not guaranteed: believers may still face unjust slanders in this life. Others argue the promise is absolute in the eschatological sense: final judgment is escaped by those who show mercy. |
| The meaning of 'release' (apoluō) | Christians understand this as a call to forgive offenses and cancel debts of resentment, following God’s example. | Some traditions emphasize releasing literal debts or legal claims, drawing on the Jubilee background; others focus primarily on spiritual forgiveness. There is also debate about whether this requires verbal confrontation or can be an internal decision. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Luke sets this teaching within the Sermon on the Plain (6:17, 49), a compact parallel to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has just called the twelve apostles and now addresses a crowd of disciples and others from Judea, Jerusalem, Tyre, and Sidon. The immediate context (vv.27, 36) is a series of commands to love enemies, do good, and lend without expecting return. Verse 36 forms the hinge: 'Be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.' This call to imitate God’s character flows directly into the three commands of our verse.
The Greek grammar sharpens the meaning. The first two prohibitions use the present imperative with mē ('Don’t judge,' 'Don’t condemn'), likely addressing a habitual or ongoing attitude of harsh criticism. The verb krinō (judge) covers a wide range, from separating and choosing to condemning, but here the context of mercy and the parallel with katadikazō (to pronounce sentence, condemn) points toward a condemnatory verdict. The statement 'you won’t be judged' uses the combination ou mē plus the aorist subjunctive, the strongest possible negation in Greek: it is not a warning but a promise of certain escape from divine condemnation for those who show mercy.
The third command shifts to the positive: apoluete (release, set free, forgive). Vincent observes that this is the exact opposite of condemn. The word in the ancient world could mean releasing a prisoner, loosing a bond, or granting a divorce; in this context it means canceling a debt of resentment or sin, reflecting the Jubilee spirit. The future passive apoluthēsesthe (you will be released) echoes the same divine response: the mercy we extend is the mercy we receive. The entire verse thus stands in the Jewish wisdom tradition (Prov 15:33; Matt 18:23, 35) where human actions toward others trigger God’s corresponding treatment, not as a mechanical law, but as an expression of the character that God forms in his people.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Luke 6:37. Early manuscripts consistently present the three-clause structure, and the key verbs (krinō, katadikazō, apoluō) are stable across the tradition. A few later manuscripts replace apoluēthēsesthe (you will be released) with aphiēmi (you will be forgiven), harmonizing to the more common forgiveness language, but the earliest and best witnesses support the reading 'release.'
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has anchored discussions of forgiveness and church discipline. Early church fathers frequently cited it to encourage mercy toward repentant sinners, while also distinguishing it from the rebuke of false teaching. Medieval theologians used it to emphasize the necessity of forgiveness for receiving the Eucharist. Reformers like Calvin and Matthew Henry stressed that the command applies to all believers and reflects the gospel’s call to imitate God's mercy. John Wesley, building on the verse, made forgiveness a central mark of Christian perfection. In contemporary evangelicalism, the verse is often linked to the Lord's Prayer and used to caution against a critical spirit. The verb 'release' has also been taken up by advocates of restorative justice, highlighting the freedom that comes from letting go of condemnation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Stop the Habit of Judgment (v.37a). Jesus addresses a judgmental spirit, looking down on others, assuming motives, condemning without mercy. The prohibition is not against discernment but against the arrogance that plays God.
- Stop the Pronouncement of Condemnation (v.37b). The stronger verb katadikazō means to render a guilty verdict. This is the language of the courtroom. Believers are not to pass final sentence on others, because that role belongs to God alone.
- Start the Practice of Release (v.37c). The positive command: actively set others free from our grudges, our demands, our judgments. Forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision to release the debt.
Five-Point Outline
- Prohibition: Don’t judge. Habitual, merciless criticism.
- Prohibition: Don’t condemn. Pronouncing final guilt.
- Command: Release. The active work of forgiving.
- Promise: You will be released. God mirrors what we do.
- Foundation: God’s mercy (v.36). We forgive because we are forgiven.
Illustration Hooks
- The church member who criticises every style of worship as if it were a spiritual litmus test. How does this verse reframe that impulse?
- The parent who can’t let go of a child’s past mistake, bringing it into every conversation. Release means ceasing to wield that history as a weapon.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Does this mean I can never call out sin or hold others accountable?
- What if I have been deeply wronged, how can I 'release' someone who hasn’t repented?
- How does this verse relate to church discipline (Matthew 18) and civil justice?
Leading a Discussion
This passage confronts us with the closeness of God’s mercy and our own dealings with others. As you prepare to discuss, notice how verse 36 frames everything: 'Be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful.' The commands to not judge, not condemn, and to release are not a new law but an invitation to live from God’s own character. Use these questions to explore the tension between holy discernment and a condemning spirit.
Discussion Questions
- Read Luke 6:36, 38 aloud. What stands out to you about how Jesus connects the Father’s mercy to our treatment of others?
- The word 'judge' (krinō) can mean to separate, to prefer, to condemn. Why do you think Jesus tells us to stop judging rather than to stop using discernment altogether?
- Define in your own words the difference between 'judging' and 'condemning' based on the Greek (katadikazō = to pronounce a guilty verdict). How does this shape our understanding?
- Vincent notes that 'release' (apoluō) is the opposite of condemn. What are some practical ways we can 'release' someone we have resented or written off?
- Jesus promises a reciprocal outcome: 'you won’t be judged... you won’t be condemned... you will be released.' How does this promise affect your view of forgiveness, is it a transaction or a reflection of character?
- Think of a church setting: how do we practice wise discernment (e.g., in leadership selection or church discipline) without falling into the judgmentalism Jesus forbids here?
- This week, what relationship or situation needs an act of 'release' from you? What step can you take to set that person free from your judgment, even before you feel ready?
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)
| Isaiah 65:5 | who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day. |
| Matthew 5:7 | Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. |
| Matthew 6:14 | “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. |
| Matthew 6:15 | But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. |
| Matthew 7:1 | “Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged. |
| Matthew 7:5 | 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. |
| Matthew 18:30 | He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due. |
| Matthew 18:34 | His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him. |
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 emphasizes that God graciously puts judgment in our own hands: He will not condemn us if we do not usurp His role by condemning others. Forgiving others is not optional advice but a necessary step to receive mercy ourselves, since our debt to God is infinite compared to any wrong done to us.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that Christ's promise of receiving kindness in return often seems to fail for believers, who face unjust treatment despite their gentleness. Yet he explains that such promises about this life always have exceptions. God permits suffering to humble his people, and sometimes believers provoke severity by their own excessive harshness toward others.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes that this passage does not forbid every kind of judgment, only harsh, unforgiving judgment. A "righteous judgment" made with a forbearing and tender spirit remains acceptable. The command to forgive is linked directly to the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, where mercy received demands mercy shown.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Iudge not, and ye shall not be iudged: condemne not, and ye shall not bee condemned: forgiue, and ye shalbe forgiuen.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws a careful distinction: "judge not" means not censuring someone's spiritual state or condemning them for every offense or doctrinal difference, while "condemn not" forbids pronouncing final damnation. Both warnings carry the risk of reciprocal treatment from others and, most seriously, from God's own judgment
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB observes that these verses parallel an earlier teaching but present it with greater detail and vivid imagery. The Holy Spirit, he notes, expands the same principle into a more graphic and forceful lesson, underscoring its importance through fuller expression.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists these commands about turning the other cheek are not rigid rules for outward behavior but principles for the heart, to be interpreted by the spirit of Christ. Love for enemies must be understood through the overarching ethic of love to God and neighbor, which keeps a believer from following the letter in a way that would dishonor God or strengthen injustice.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that the measure we use for others is the exact measure God uses for us, making mercy and generosity the only safe path.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek word for forgive literally means "release," as the Revised Version translates it. He emphasizes that Christ contrasts this with condemning, urging the opposite: not to condemn, but to release. This lexical point deepens the meaning of forgiveness as actively letting go.