Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
Parallel Translations
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Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
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Ye and why iudge ye not of youre selves what is righte?
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Yea, and why iudge ye not of your selues what is right?
Cross-references (7)
Passages linked to Luke 12:57 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- John 7:24 Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
- Deuteronomy 32:29 Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
- Acts 2:40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
- Acts 13:26-38 Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’ “Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’ For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of God, fell asleep, was laid with his fathers, and saw decay. But he whom God raised up saw no decay. Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,
- 1 Corinthians 11:14 Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?
- Matthew 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.
- Luke 21:30 When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Men that are blinded with the love of themselves,…
Men that are blinded with the love of themselves, and therefore are detestable and stubborn, shall bear the reward of their folly.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 55 And when ye see the south wind blow,…
55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
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57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
Ver. 57. Yea, and why even of yourselves] By consulting with your own consciences, which would, if rightly dealt with, tell you, that I am that Messiah you have so long looked for.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Our Saviour made use of this expression, Mat 5:25,26,…
Our Saviour made use of this expression, Mat 5:25,26, to persuade peace between brethren; here he useth it to persuade men to acquaint themselves with God, and be at peace. He had been treating of the last judgment; there was no fitter foundation upon which he could build all exhortation to repentance, and making our peace with God. In not doing of it, he telleth his hearers that they did not of themselves judge what was right, for if they did, they would judge themselves as much concerned to come to an agreement with God, as they did ordinarily to come to an agreement with men. Now if amongst men they had an adversary, they did not judge it prudence to stand out with him till the sentence of the judge were past, and they were imprisoned, not to come out till they had paid every farthing of the debt and charges wherein they were condemned; but to agree while they were in the way, before they came to a final judgment in the case, that so, having compounded the case, they might avoid the judgment. So in the case between God and their souls, if they judged right, they would judge that it was not their wisdom to stand out till the irrevocable sentence of condemnation was passed upon them, but in the way, during the time of this life, they would make their peace with God, and reform their lives before that great and terrible day came. It is a sign the papists are at a woeful loss for arguments to prove purgatory, when they make use of this text, because it is said, thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the very last mite, as if this text spake of a prison for souls from which there is an outlet. Such another argument will prove, from Psa 110:1, that Christ shall not sit at the right hand of his Father, because God only said to him. Sit there until I make thine enemies thy footstool; and that Joseph knew Mary after Christ was born, because it is said, Mat 1:25, he knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. But we have before showed that that term, though it be exclusive of a time past, yet doth not determine a future time.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain I tell thee,.... The Syriac version before these words,…
I tell thee,.... The Syriac version before these words, prefixes an "Amen", or "verily", for the sake of the stronger affirmation, which seems to be taken from Mat 5:26
thou shalt not depart thence; get out of prison:
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till thou hast paid the very last mite: of the sum in debate, which was what the Jews call a "prutah", and that was the eighth part of an Italian farthing, and half a common farthing; See Gill on Mar 12:42, with this agrees what Mainonides says (y), that
"when he that lends, requires what he has lent, though he is rich, and the borrower is distressed, and straitened for food, there is no mercy showed him in judgment, but his debt is, demanded of him, , "unto the last prutah, or mite".''
(y) Hilchot M. vah. c. 1. sect. 4.
Next: Luke Chapter 13
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Why even of yourselves, without any external sign, judge…
Why even of yourselves, without any external sign, judge ye not what is right? - Why do ye not discern and acknowledge the intrinsic excellence of my doctrine?
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 57. And why - judge ye] Even without…
Verse 57. And why - judge ye] Even without the express declarations of the prophets, ye might, from what ye see and hear yourselves, discern that God has now visited his people in such a manner as he never did before.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Luk 12:57. Why even of yourselves — Without any…
Luk 12:57. Why even of yourselves — Without any external sign; judge ye not what is right? — Why do ye not discern and acknowledge the intrinsic excellence of my doctrine, and gather from such obvious promises how you ought to receive it, and behave toward me? The prediction of the coming of the Son of man, to punish the Jews for their perfidy and rebellion, was a loud call to a national repentance. Wherefore, as the improvement of that prediction, he exhorted them to a speedy reformation, telling them that common sense, with a very small degree of reflection, would point it out to them as the very best thing they could do for averting the impending judgments of God.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain why even of yourselves, &c.--They might say, To do…
why even of yourselves, &c.--They might say, To do this requires more knowledge of Scripture and providence than we possess; but He sends them to their own conscience, as enough to show them who He was, and win them to immediate discipleship.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 57. Yea—Even without any extraordinary signs or omens.
57. Yea—Even without any extraordinary signs or omens.
Even of yourselves—From the intuitive convictions of your own conscience.
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Judge ye not—As between my Gospel and the leaven of the Pharisees.
What is right—Accordant with truth and righteousness, and worthy of God. The dealings of God with man all accord with the ultimate standard of right.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 57. even of yourselves] i.e. without the necessity for…
57. even of yourselves] i.e. without the necessity for my thus pointing out to you facts which are so plain.
what is right] what is your duty to do under circumstances so imminent.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (57) Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye…
(57) Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?—Better, judge that which is just. The meaning of the words is not that they did not know what was right, but that they did not act upon their knowledge. They were passing an unrighteous judgment on the preachers of repentance, on the Baptist and on the Christ, because they came to tell them of the time of their visitation, when their action ought to have been as true and spontaneous as their daily judgment about the weather. It is possible, though not, I think, probable, that the question “Why even of yourselves . . .” may have some reference to the request of the disciple, in Luk_12:13, that our Lord would act as judge.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Individual responsibility.
Individual responsibility.
"Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?" Those to whom our Lord was speaking were men of intelligence, education, religious privilege. They exercised their mental faculties with great keenness on some subjects (vers. 54, 55): why could they not recognize the supreme fact of their time, viz. that the Messiah was before them (ver. 56)? why did they not employ their powers to discern between the false and the true, between the evil and the good?
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I THAT WE MAY NOT DEVOLVE OUR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOLDING THE TRUTH on any one or any body of men. It has not been merely "the right of private judgment" which has been in question, which some have striven so hard to withhold, and which others have suffered so much to obtain or to preserve. It has been the sacred duty of determining for ourselves what is the mind and the will of God, the solemn obligation to put into use the talents he has committed to our care. We are to discharge this duty under all circumstances and whoever may propose to relieve us of it. We may not delegate it:
1. To the State. The State may prescribe Islamism in one region, Confucianism in another, Catholicism in a third; but we are not at liberty to make our religious creed depend on the latitude and longitude where we reside.
2. To the Church; or Jesus Christ himself would have been criminal, for he entirely disregarded the decision of the "council," and the Christian Church has, in its collective capacity, spoken differently in different times and places.
3. To society; that is frequently at fault.
4. To the parent. For a time this is necessary, right, becoming, praiseworthy; but the time comes when the son must no longer shield himself behind his filial obedience, he must think and must decide for himself. If we are possessed of ordinary human powers and privileges we must "of ourselves judge what is fight." It is a solemn burden, a sacred duty, which our Creator has laid on each human spirit he has called into being.
II THAT GOD HAS GIFTED US WITH A SPIRITUAL NATURE for this very purpose. He has endowed us with reason, or with that faculty which intuitively perceives the great and deep truths which are presented to it; with conscience, the faculty which commends and condemns, filling with inward joy or inward pain; with judgment, the faculty that compares and concludes, and arrives at just decisions as to the thing that should be done, the way that should be taken. It is, indeed, only too true that a long course of sin will warp and degrade this spiritual nature of ours; but where there is as much enlightenment as the Jews of our Lord"s time had, and as we ourselves possess, we ought to be able by its means "to judge what is right.
III THAT THE HEALTHFUL ACTION OF OUR SPIRITUAL NATURE IS ONE LARGE PART OF OUR PROBATION. If "the light that is in us be darkness," if our conscience is misdirecting us, it is because we have been wrong, it is because we have not been true to ourselves. Sin has weakened or even distorted our faculty of spiritual discernment. But if we are true to ourselves, if we
(1) honestly seek to know what the will of God is concerning ourselves and others;
(2) faithfully endeavor to do what we believe to be his will;
(3) earnestly ask for Divine guidance in our pursuit of wisdom; we shall be "led into the truth." We may not see everything in the light in which other truehearted people see it, but we shall recognize those great leading truths which bring us into right relation to God, which constrain us to take a right attitude toward our brethren, which light up our earthly path and conduct us to our home.
1. We may not refuse our responsibility under any plea, not even that of humility. It would be pleasant to say, "We will leave to others who can do it better the work of deciding what is true, which message is from God, which path leads heavenwards." But we may not say this without declining the sacred duty our heavenly Father devolves on each one of his children.
2. Accepting our post as truth-seekers, we must do our work conscientiously, thoroughly, without prejudice.
3. We may be sure that Christ will grant us all the Divine aid we need if we honestly endeavor and devoutly pray. C.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Why do you not judge what is right for…
Why do you not judge what is right for yourselves?
Jesus uses a question to rebuke the crowd. It can be translated as a statement. AT: "You yourselves should discern what is right." (See: Rhetorical Question)
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for yourselves
"on your own initiative"
For when you go ... bit of money
Jesus uses a hypothetical situation to teach the crowd. His point is that they should resolve the things they are able to resolve without involving the public courts. This can be restated to make it clear it might not happen. AT: "For if you were to go ... bit of money" (See: Hypothetical Situations)
when you go
Though Jesus is talking to a crowd, the situation he is presenting is something that a person would go through alone. So in some languages the word "you" would be singular. (See: Forms of You)
settle the matter with him
"settle the matter with your adversary"
the judge
This refers to the magistrate, but the term here is more specific and threatening.
does not deliver you
"does not take you"
the very last bit of money
"the entire amount of money that your adversary demands"
translationWords
judge
adversary
magistrate
judge, judges
prison
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.