For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Judges 1:7 And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
Psalm 18:25,26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; …
Psalm 137:7,8 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof…
you will be judged
This part of the verse underscores the inevitability of divine judgment. It reflects the biblical understanding that God is the ultimate judge, as seen in passages like Romans 14:10-12. The historical context of this teaching would resonate with Jesus' audience, who were familiar with the concept of God's judgment from the Hebrew Scriptures. It serves as a reminder that human judgment is limited and fallible, whereas God's judgment is perfect and just. This phrase also connects to the eschatological themes in the New Testament, where believers are reminded of the final judgment.
and with the measure you use
The imagery of "measure" is significant in biblical literature, often used in agricultural and commercial contexts. In ancient times, measures were used in trade, and fairness in measurement was a key aspect of justice, as seen in Proverbs 11:1. This phrase suggests that the standards we apply to others will be the standards applied to us. It calls for integrity and fairness, echoing the teachings of the prophets who condemned dishonest scales and measures (Micah 6:11). The use of this metaphor would have been easily understood by Jesus' audience, who were familiar with the importance of just measures in daily life.
it will be measured to you
This concluding phrase reinforces the principle of reciprocity and divine justice. It serves as a warning and a promise that one's actions and attitudes towards others will have consequences. This idea is consistent with the teachings of Jesus throughout the Gospels, where He often highlights the importance of mercy, forgiveness, and love. Theologically, it points to the character of God as just and fair, ensuring that each person receives according to their deeds. This principle is also reflected in the parables of Jesus, such as the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35), where the lack of mercy shown by the servant results in a harsh judgment.
• Jesus places responsibility squarely on every listener. The verdict we deliver on others is not a casual opinion; it carries weight before God.
• This principle echoes Romans 2:1–3, where those who condemn others are reminded that they practice the same things and are therefore “without excuse.”
• James 2:13 reinforces the point: “For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
• Takeaway: When our hearts rush to condemn, we effectively set the standard by which we invite God to evaluate us.
• The passive “will be judged” makes clear that God Himself will respond to our chosen standard.
• Matthew 12:36–37 warns that “by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned,” highlighting that every spoken verdict is logged for God’s courtroom.
• 2 Corinthians 5:10 adds a sobering reminder: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.”
• Luke 6:37 parallels today’s verse almost verbatim, underscoring that God’s judgment mirrors ours.
• The imagery shifts from courts to commerce. In ancient markets, merchants weighed grain with standardized measures. A dishonest measure cheated buyers; an honest one safeguarded fairness.
• Mark 4:24–25 applies the same metaphor: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.”
• Proverbs 11:1 declares, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight,” while Leviticus 19:36 commands, “You must maintain honest scales and honest weights.”
• Application: Every evaluation we make—whether spoken, posted online, or harbored silently—must be “honest weight,” reflecting integrity and charity.
• God promises reciprocity: He will use our own yardstick when assessing us. Whatever grace or severity we extend, He multiplies it back.
• Galatians 6:7 frames this as a universal law: “Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.”
• Psalm 18:25–26 illustrates the principle in God’s dealings: “To the merciful You show Yourself merciful… to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd.”
• This is not karma but covenant justice; the Lord honors His revealed standards and calls His people to reflect His character.
Matthew 7:2 teaches that our judgments and measurements toward others set the pattern for how God will judge us. Practicing mercy invites mercy; dispensing harshness invites scrutiny. Because Scripture is fully reliable and literal, the promise here is certain: the scale you hold today will weigh your own life tomorrow. Choose, therefore, the measure of grace.
(2) With what judgment ye judge. . . .--Here again truth takes the form of a seeming paradox. The unjust judgment of man does not bring upon us a divine judgment which is also unjust; but the severity which we have unjustly meted out to others, becomes, by a retributive law, the measure of that which is justly dealt out to us.Verse 2. - Parallels to the second clause in Luke 6:38 and Mark 4:24, For. Explanatory of" that ye be not judged." The principle of your own judgment will be applied in turn to yourselves. With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. The judgment (κρίμα) is the verdict; the measure is the severity or otherwise of the verdict. In both clauses (cf. ver. 1, note) the passives refer to judgment by God, as is even more clear in Mark 4:24. The saying, "with what measure," etc., is found in Mishua, 'Sotah,' 1:7 ("With the measure with which a man measures do they measure to him"), where it is applied to the jus talionis in the case of a woman suspected of adultery (Numbers 5:11-31). Again. Omitted by the Revised Version, with the manuscripts. It was naturally inserted by the copyists, either as an unconscious deduction or from the parallel passage in Luke; but it is absent in the characteristically Jewish form of the saying found in the Mishna.