Matthew 7:3

King James Version

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye?

King James Version (1611)
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye, but considerest not the beame that is in thine owne eye?

English Standard Version
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

New American Standard Bible
"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

New Century Version
"Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye?

Amplified Bible
"Why do you look at the [insignificant] speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice and acknowledge the [egregious] log that is in your own eye?

Geneva Bible (1587)
And why seest thou the mote, that is in thy brothers eye, and perceiuest not the beame that is in thine owne eye?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Legacy Standard Bible
And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Berean Standard Bible
Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?

Contemporary English Version
You can see the speck in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the log in your own eye.

Complete Jewish Bible
Why do you see the splinter in your brother's eye but not notice the log in your own eye?

Darby Translation
But why lookest thou on the mote that is in the eye of thy brother, but observest not the beam that is in thine eye?

Easy-to-Read Version
"Why do you notice the small piece of dust that is in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood that is in your own?

George Lamsa Translation
Why do you see the splinter which is in your brother''s eye, and do not feel the beam which is in your own eye?

Good News Translation
Why, then, do you look at the speck in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the log in your own eye?

Lexham English Bible
And why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the beam of wood in your own eye?

Literal Translation
But why do you look on the twig that is in the eye of your brother, but do not see the log in your eye?

American Standard Version
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Bible in Basic English
And why do you take note of the grain of dust in your brother's eye, but take no note of the bit of wood which is in your eye?

Hebrew Names Version
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye?

International Standard Version
"Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?Luke 6:41-42;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But why dost thou look at the rod that is in thy brother's eye, while the rafter that is in thine own eye thou dost not consider?

Murdock Translation
And why observest thou the straw in thy brother's eye, and regardest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Why seest thou a mote in thy brothers eye, but perceiuest not the beame that is in thyne owne eye?

English Revised Version
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

World English Bible
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And why beholdest thou the mote in thy brother's eye, but observest not the beam in thine own eye?

Weymouth's New Testament
And why do you look at the splinter in your brother's eye, and not notice the beam which is in your own eye?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But what seest thou a litil mote in the iye of thi brother, and seest not a beem in thin owne iye?

Update Bible Version
And why do you look at the mote that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye?

Webster's Bible Translation
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thy own eye?

New English Translation
Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own?

New King James Version
And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

New Living Translation
"And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?

New Life Bible
Why do you look at the small piece of wood in your brother's eye, and do not see the big piece of wood in your own eye?

New Revised Standard
Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Why, moreover, beholdest thou the mote, in the eye of thy brother, - while, the beam in thine own eye, thou dost not consider?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?

Revised Standard Version
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Why seist thou a moote in thy brothers eye and perceavest not the beame yt ys yn thyne awne eye.

Young's Literal Translation
`And why dost thou behold the mote that [is] in thy brother's eye, and the beam that [is] in thine own eye dost not consider?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Why seist thou a moate in thy brothers eye, and perceauest not the beame yt is yn thine awne eye?

Mace New Testament (1729)
why do you observe the mote that is in your brother's eye, and not consider the beam that is in your own eye?

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Don't criticize your partner's horse for slinging its head when you can't even get on your own horse without gettin' bucked off.

Contextual Overview

¹ Judge not, that ye be not judged. ² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. ³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴ Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? ⁵ Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. ⁶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

why: Luke 6:41, Luke 6:42, Luke 18:11

but: 2 Samuel 12:5, 2 Samuel 12:6, 2 Chronicles 28:9, 2 Chronicles 28:10, Psalms 50:16-21, John 8:7-9, Galatians 6:1

Reciprocal: Hosea 4:4 - let Matthew 15:3 - Why Mark 2:24 - why Mark 7:2 - they found Mark 10:25 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye?.... By "mote" is meant, any little bit of straw, or small splinter of wood, that flies into the eye, and does it damage, hinders its sight, and gives it pain; and designs little sins, comparatively speaking, such as youthful follies, human frailties, and infirmities, inadvertencies and imprudencies; which may be said to be light faults, in comparison of others: and though not to be vindicated, nor continued in, yet not to be severely looked upon and chastised. To scrutinize diligently into, aggravate, dwell upon, and sharply reprove the lighter faults of others, is a conduct, which is here inveighed against, and condemned by Christ; and more especially, when it may be said with the greatest truth and justice to such,

but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye: by the "beam" is meant, greater sins, grosser abominations, and such as were more peculiar to the Pharisees; as pride, arrogance, a vain opinion of themselves, confidence in their own righteousness, hypocrisy, covetousness, and iniquity; things they did not advert to in themselves, when they loudly exclaimed against lesser evils in others. Such men must be of all persons inexcusable, who condemn that in others, which either they themselves do, or what is abundantly worse.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And why beholdest thou the mote ... - A mote signifies any “light substance,” as dry chaff, or fine spires of grass or grain. It probably most usually signified the small “spiculae” or “beards” on a head of barley or wheat. It is thus placed in opposition to the word “beam.”

Beam - The word used here signifies a large piece of squared timber. The one is an exceedingly small object, the other a large one. The meaning is, that “we are much more quick and acute to judge of small offences in others, than of much larger offences in ourselves.” Even a very “small” object in the eye of another we discern much more quickly than a much larger one in our own; a small fault in our neighbor we see much more readily than a large one in ourselves. This was also a proverb in frequent use among the Jews, and the same sentiment was common among the Greeks, and deserves to be expressed in every language.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 7:3. And why beholdest thou the mote — Καρφος might be translated the splinter: for splinter bears some analogy to beam, but mote does not. I should prefer this word (which has been adopted by some learned men) on the authority of Hesychius, who is a host in such matters; Καρφος, κεραια ξυλου λεπτη, Karphos is a thin piece of wood, a splinter. It often happens that the faults which we consider as of the first enormity in others are, to our own iniquities, as a chip is, when compared to a large beam. On one side, self-love blinds us to ourselves; and, on the other, envy and malice give us piercing eyes in respect of others. When we shall have as much zeal to correct ourselves, as we have inclination to reprove and correct others, we shall know our own defects better than now we know those of our neighbour. There is a caution very similar to this of our Lord given by a heathen: -

Cum tua praevideas oculis mala lippus inunctis:

Cur in amicorum vitiis tam cernis acutum,

Quam aut aquila, aut serpens Epidaurius?

Hor. Sat. lib. 1. sat. 3. l. 25-27.

"When you can so readily overlook your own wickedness, why are you more clear-sighted than the eagle or serpent of Epidaurus, in spying out the failings of your friends?"

But the saying was very common among the Jews, as may be seen in Lightfoot.