Luke 6:42 kjv
Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.
Luke 6:42 nkjv
Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.
Luke 6:42 niv
How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Luke 6:42 esv
How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.
Luke 6:42 nlt
How can you think of saying, 'Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.
Luke 6 42 Cross References
| Verse | Text (Shortened) | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 7:1 | "Judge not, that you be not judged." | Direct parallel; general warning against judging. |
| Matt 7:2 | "For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged..." | Principle of reciprocal judgment. |
| Matt 7:3-5 | "And why do you look at the speck...but do not perceive the plank..." | The Synoptic parallel of this verse. |
| Rom 2:1 | "Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge..." | Condemns hypocritical judgment. |
| Rom 2:21-23 | "You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?" | Exposes inconsistency in teaching. |
| Gal 6:1 | "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him gently..." | Guidance for restoring a sinning brother with humility. |
| Jas 4:11 | "Do not speak evil of one another, brethren." | Forbids slander and judgmental speech. |
| Jas 4:12 | "There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?" | Highlights God's exclusive right to judge. |
| Psa 50:16-17 | "But to the wicked God says: 'What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant in your mouth, Seeing you hate instruction...'" | Condemns teaching God's law while practicing sin. |
| Prov 20:6 | "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?" | The challenge of true sincerity over outward boast. |
| Prov 18:17 | "The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him." | Need for objective review and not quick judgment. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "...man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." | Focus on inner condition over external show. |
| Jn 8:7 | "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." | Jesus challenges judgmental accusers to self-reflection. |
| 1 Cor 4:5 | "Therefore judge nothing before the time..." | Leave ultimate judgment to the Lord. |
| Phil 2:3 | "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." | Cultivating humility instead of self-exaltation. |
| Col 3:12-13 | "Therefore, as the elect of God...put on tender mercies, kindness, humility...forbearing one another, and forgiving one another..." | Practical commands for charitable interpersonal relationships. |
| 1 Pet 4:8 | "And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’" | Love as the primary motivation, which overlooks faults. |
| Rev 3:17-18 | "Because you say, 'I am rich...’ and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked...buy from Me eye salve..." | Spiritual blindness and self-deception in the church. |
| Isa 6:10 | "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes..." | Depiction of spiritual blindness resulting from stubbornness. |
| Jer 17:9 | "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" | The need for self-awareness and heart transformation. |
| Matt 23:24 | "Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" | Another example of Jesus using hyperbole against hypocrisy. |
| Matt 23:25-26 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup...but inside are full of extortion and self-indulgence." | Emphasizes internal purity over external appearance. |
| Titus 3:2 | "to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility toward all men." | Paul's instruction for Christian conduct towards others. |
| 1 Jn 3:18 | "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." | Love evidenced by action, which implies non-judgmental help. |
| 2 Cor 13:5 | "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith." | Self-examination is a fundamental spiritual discipline. |
Luke 6 verses
Luke 6 42 Meaning
Luke 6:42 is a powerful teaching from Jesus, emphasizing the vital importance of self-examination and humility before attempting to correct others. It illustrates, through striking hyperbolic imagery, the hypocrisy of someone who, with major moral flaws of their own ("plank in your own eye"), presumes to identify and address minor faults ("speck in your brother’s eye") in another. The verse condemns judgmentalism rooted in a lack of self-awareness and prescribes the correct order for helpful engagement: self-purification first, which then enables true, clear-sighted assistance to a brother or sister.
Luke 6 42 Context
Luke 6:42 is situated within Jesus’ "Sermon on the Plain" (Luke 6:17-49), which parallels elements of the more extensive "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew (Matt 5-7). Specifically, this verse comes after Jesus’ teachings on loving enemies (Luke 6:27-36) and not judging others (Luke 6:37-38). It immediately follows the rhetorical question, "Can the blind lead the blind?" and the statement, "A disciple is not above his teacher" (Luke 6:39-40), indicating that the ability to help others requires spiritual discernment and growth that comes from truly being taught by Christ. This verse's teaching on the "plank and speck" is a vivid illustration of Jesus' broader call for inner righteousness and true transformation of the heart, rather than outward displays of religiosity or a self-righteous condemnation of others. It warns against a critical spirit that fails to see one's own greater faults.
Luke 6 42 Word analysis
- Or how can you say ( ἢ πῶς δύνασαι λέγειν - ē pōs dynasai legein): This is a rhetorical question that expresses absurdity and exposes the sheer illogicality and moral bankruptcy of such a stance. It highlights the incongruity of offering to help someone else while being demonstrably unqualified due to one's own glaring failures.
- Brother (ἀδελφέ - adelphe): Refers to a fellow member of the community, likely a fellow disciple or, more broadly, a fellow human being. This implies a relationship where help might be expected, but the hypocrisy of the proposed "help" undermines its genuine intent.
- Let me remove (ἐκβάλω - ekbalo): The Greek verb means "to cast out," "throw out," or "take out." Here, it signifies the act of attempting to extract or correct a fault. The term implies decisive action, contrasting sharply with the true motive.
- Speck (κάρφος - karphos): This Greek word denotes a dry twig, a splinter, or a small piece of chaff or straw. It signifies a minor, trivial, or perhaps barely noticeable fault. Its insignificance is exaggerated for contrast with the "plank."
- That is in your eye: The eye represents spiritual perception or moral insight. The "speck" impedes the brother's clear vision.
- When you yourself do not see (αὐτὸς οὐ βλέπων - autos ou blepōn): This phrase stresses the accuser's own blindness. The problem is not merely having a fault, but the failure to see or acknowledge it, demonstrating a profound lack of self-awareness and honesty.
- Plank (δοκός - dokos): The Greek term for a "beam," "rafter," or large piece of timber used in construction. This is a deliberate hyperbole, a dramatic overstatement. It signifies an immense, obvious, and crippling fault – one that should be unmistakable to anyone, especially oneself. The image is absurd, yet profoundly illustrative of significant moral failings.
- That is in your own eye: This directly points back to the self, underscoring that the colossal impediment to vision resides within the one attempting to "help." It obstructs one's own judgment and discernment.
- You hypocrite! (Ὑποκριτά - Hypokrita): A strong, direct accusation from Jesus. Hypokritēs in Greek referred to an actor or stage player, someone who pretends to be what they are not. In biblical usage, it signifies someone whose outward actions or claims contradict their inner reality or motives; they pretend piety or moral authority while harboring significant internal corruption or unacknowledged sin.
- First remove the plank from your own eye: This is Jesus’ unequivocal command, prescribing the necessary prerequisite. True spiritual service or correction of others can only come after rigorous self-examination and repentance concerning one's own significant sins. It emphasizes internal purification.
- And then you will see clearly (καὶ τότε διαβλέψεις - kai tote diablepseis): Diablepseis means "to see through," "to see clearly," "to see distinctly." This implies that self-cleansing not only removes the impediment to one's own vision but also grants a spiritual clarity that allows for truly effective, compassionate, and wise intervention in the lives of others. Only then is one qualified to genuinely help, motivated by love rather than judgmentalism.
- To remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye: This highlights that correction, when done rightly, is a ministry of love aimed at restoring the brother's clear spiritual vision, rather than a judgmental act to condemn or feel superior.
Luke 6 42 Bonus section
The strong imagery of the "plank" and "speck" served as an effective mnemonic for Jesus' listeners, allowing the profound lesson to be easily remembered and retold. This teaching is fundamentally about spiritual vision and its distortion. A "plank" obstructs not just physical sight, but spiritual discernment, preventing one from recognizing one's own shortcomings and viewing others justly. Conversely, removing one's own "plank" – confronting and repenting of significant sin – leads to a clarity of "seeing" (δὲ διαβλέψεις - diablepseis) that is essential for righteous discernment and helpful, rather than harmful, interaction with others' weaknesses. The progression is clear: inward transformation must precede outward ministry, particularly in areas requiring correction or guidance. It's a call to profound humility and honesty before God and others, setting boundaries on where our right to critique begins and ends.
Luke 6 42 Commentary
Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:42 masterfully exposes the inherent hypocrisy of judging others while ignoring one’s own substantial moral failures. The "plank and speck" analogy is a hyperbolic, yet incredibly memorable, illustration. A person with a giant timber in their eye could not physically see to help remove a tiny speck from another's eye, emphasizing the spiritual blindness caused by unaddressed sin. The term "hypocrite" is key, indicating that such judgmentalism stems not from genuine concern or purity, but from a false pretension of moral superiority. The message is not a blanket prohibition against all forms of discernment or constructive confrontation, but a strict injunction against condemning or nitpicking others while one is unrepentantly blinded by their own significant sins. True, helpful correction requires spiritual vision cleared through sincere self-reflection and repentance. Only a humble, self-aware individual, one who has grappled with their own profound need for grace, can offer genuinely beneficial assistance to a fellow believer. This teaching promotes humility, introspection, and authentic love as prerequisites for engaging in any form of correction or guidance towards others.