Quote:
Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. KJV
I've heard that this is bad translation and should read 'condemn' and 'condemned' instead of 'judge' and 'judged'. We will all be judged, afterall.
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The word used here (krino) means to come to a DECISION, to decide between two things. It is RARELY used of a "positive" decision ("innocent"), but almost always implies coming to a "negative" decision ("guilty"), and of course, to moving immediately to "sentencing" the person who has been found guilty.
Thus, it really is more accurate to say this word is not so much about "judging" as it is about "passing judgment" upon someone, or even more accurately, the use of this word directly implies that you WILL find them guilty and then condemn them for their crime (whether real or perceived).
So we ARE to "evaluate" situations, and to "examine" the fruit of other people's lives, but in the midst of all of that, we are to give them the benefit of the doubt ("innocent until PROVEN guilty" really is biblical). What we are NOT suppose to do is pass judgment on them and then condemn them, particularly since scripture clearly states that we cannot read their heart.
Grace and peace to you,
Rhomphaia