John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance,

Spoken to: 

audience

His audience tells him he is crazy, saying someone wants to kill him. He then compares his curing a man on the Sabbath to circumcision.

KJV: 

John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

NIV : 

John 7:24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

Don't decide based how things look. Instead, decide [by] deciding [i.e. interpreting] the law.

MY TAKE: 

We must see more deeply into things than our eyes do.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The Greek word translated as "appearance" is a noun only Jesus only uses here. Its objective meaning is "appearance," but its subjective meaning is "vision," the "act of seeing," and, simply "eyes." So Jesus isn't  talking about "appearances" as a false front but the way thinks physically look. This is referred to later in this discussion (John 8:15) as "the flesh," which more generally means "the physical." However, it is a bit of a joke because Jewish law requires witnesses to testify only to what they have seen with their own eyes.

The preposition translated before "appearances,"  as "according to" and "by," actually means "against" and "down." When used as a prefix with the word "judge" means "to judge against" or "to condemn." So the sense is don't condemn with the eyes.

"Righteous" is a pretty vague term in English. The Greek word used is more specific. It means conformance with the laws or customs. This is a clear reference back to the previous verse's references to the laws of Moses. This connection in lost in the KJV. Also lost is the central idea here that the law must be interpreted or decided. This difference between the physical words and the deeper, hidden meaning that comes from context. This is what we describe as the difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

The NIV translation here is a good example of how we lose a lot of what Jesus said by "improving" on it. A simple change early one creates cascading differences down the line.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

2
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "but" does not capture the specific meaning of the word.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

5
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "stop" should be something more like "not."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "stop" is not an active verb but a negative, "not."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "judging" is not a participle, but an active verb "judge."
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "mere" doesn't exist in the source.
  • WN  - Wrong Number- The word "appearances" is translated as plural but the Greek word is singular.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "judgment" is not shown in the English translation.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

Judge -- The term used here for "judge" is a much more complicated idea. Unlike most words, which Christ uses specifically, he uses this word in a variety of senses simply because no English word corresponds to it precisely. He can mean "judge," "criticize," "decide," "discriminate," and "separate," depending on the context. We try to keep as closely as possible to the primary meaning of "separate" except when it doesn't fit.

not -- The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" or "think" something, not that it isn't done or thought.   With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. This is the negative used with commands or requests. Used with an imperative to express a will or wish. Used in negative "when" and "if" clauses.

according to -- The word translated as "according to" means "down from," "down into," "against," "opposite," "separately," "at a time," "towards," "in accordance with," "concerning," "corresponding with," "during the course of a period," and "severally."

the -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "the" in the Greek source.

appearance,  --   "Appearance" is a noun only used here that has both an objective and subjective meaning. Here, we are talking about the subject because the topic is judgment so it means the "power of sight," "vision," the "act of seeing," "organ of sight," "eyes," "view," and "position."

but -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "but" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "instead," "but instead,"or "rather." It is not the common word usually translated as "but." It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise." Jesus often uses this conjunction to connect a negative clause, not doing something, with a positive one, "instead do this."

judge -- The term used here for "judge" is a much more complicated idea. Unlike most words, which Christ uses specifically, he uses this word in a variety of senses simply because no English word corresponds to it precisely. He can mean "judge," "criticize," "decide," "discriminate," and "separate," depending on the context. We try to keep as closely as possible to the primary meaning of "separate" except when it doesn't fit.

righteous -- The Greek adjective translated as "righteous" means "observant of rules," "observant of customs," "well-ordered," "civilized," and "observant of duty." It could be translated as "law-abiding."

judgment. -- The Greek word translated as "judgment" means distinguishing among choices and "separating" things. Christ uses it in a variety of ways, though the KJV usually translates it as "judgment." It also means a "turning point," since it is the source of the meaning of "crisis" has in English. Only secondarily does it means "judgment" as in a court judgment.

EACH WORD of NIV : 

Stop --  (WW, WF) The negative used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is that "you don't want" or "think" something, not that it isn't done or thought.   With the verb "to be," the sense is "doesn't seem." When a negative precedes the verb, it affects the whole clause. When it precedes other words, its force is limited to those words. This is the negative used with commands or requests. Used with an imperative to express a will or wish. Used in negative "when" and "if" clauses. This is not a verb nor a command.

judging - (WF) - The term used here for "judging" is a much more complicated idea. Unlike most words, which Christ uses specifically, he uses this word in a variety of senses simply because no English word corresponds to it precisely. He can mean "judge," "criticize," "decide," "discriminate," and "separate," depending on the context. We try to keep as closely as possible to the primary meaning of "separate" except when it doesn't fit.  This is not a participle, but an active verb in the form of a command.

by -- The word translated as "according to" means "down from," "down into," "against," "opposite," "separately," "at a time," "towards," "in accordance with," "concerning," "corresponding with," "during the course of a period," and "severally."

mere -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "mere" in the Greek source.

appearances  --   (WN) "Appearance" is a noun only used here that has both an objective and subjective meaning. Here, we are talking about the subject because the topic is judgment so it means the "power of sight," "vision," the "act of seeing," "organ of sight," "eyes," "view," and "position." This word is not plural but singular.

but instead --  The Greek word translated as "but instead" denotes an exception or simple opposition. It is used to emphasize the contrast between things like we use "instead," "but instead,"or "rather." It is not the common word usually translated as "but." It is the Greek word "other" like we use "otherwise." Jesus often uses this conjunction to connect a negative clause, not doing something, with a positive one, "instead do this."

judge -- The term used here for "judge" is a much more complicated idea. Unlike most words, which Christ uses specifically, he uses this word in a variety of senses simply because no English word corresponds to it precisely. He can mean "judge," "criticize," "decide," "discriminate," and "separate," depending on the context. We try to keep as closely as possible to the primary meaning of "separate" except when it doesn't fit.

correctly. -- The Greek adjective translated as "correctly means "observant of rules," "observant of customs," "well-ordered," "civilized," and "observant of duty." It could be translated as "law-abiding."

missing "judgment"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "judgment" means distinguishing among choices and "separating" things. Christ uses it in a variety of ways, though the KJV usually translates it as "judgment." It also means a "turning point," since it is the source of the meaning of "crisis" has in English. Only secondarily does it means "judgment" as in a court judgment.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

μὴ [447 verses](conj) "Not" is me , which is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." As οὐ (ou) negates fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. With pres. or aor. subj. used in a warning or statement of fear, "take care" It can be the conjunction "lest" or "for fear that." Used before tis with an imperative to express a will or wish for something in independent sentences and, with subjunctives, to express prohibitions.

κρίνετε [30 verses](2nd pl pres ind act) "Judge" is krino, which primarily means "to separate," "to put asunder," and "to distinguish." It has a lot of other secondary meanings, including "to pick out," "to choose," "to decide" disputes or accounts, "to win" a battle, "to judge" especially in the sense of "estimate," "to expound," or "to interpret" in a particular way.

κατ᾽ [60 verses](prep) "Against" is kata can be a preposition or an adverb. As a preposition with the genitive, it means, means "downwards," "down from," "down into," "against," "down toward," "down (from),"  and, or time, "for." With the accusative, it means "down (to)," "according to," "about," " during," of motion, "on," "over," "throughout a space," "opposite," "separately," "individually," "at a time," "towards," "in accordance with," "concerning," "corresponding with," "during the course of a period," and "severally." As an adverb, it means "according as," "just as," "in so far as," "wherefore," "like as if" and "exactly as."

ὄψιν, [1 verse](noun sg fem acc) "Appearance" is from opsis, which means objectively, the "aspect," "appearance" of a thing, "countenance," "face," "things seen," "sight," but subjectively it means the "power of sight," "vision," the "act of seeing," "organ of sight," "eyes," "view," and "position."

ἀλλὰ [154 verses](conj) "But" is alla, which means "otherwise," "but," "still," "at least," "except," "yet," nevertheless," "rather," "moreover," and "nay."

τὴν [821 verses](article sg fem acc)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").  -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article, without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

δικαίαν[21 verses](adj pl fem acc) "The righteous" is dikaios which means "observant of rules," "observant of customs," "well-ordered," "civilized," and "observant of duty." Later it means "well-balanced," "impartial," and "just." As a verb, it means to "set right," "hold or deem right," "claim or demand as a right," "pronounce judgment," "do a man right or justice," "chastise," "punish, and in passive, "have right done one."

κρίσιν  [26 verses]((noun sg fem acc) "Judgment" is krisis, which means "separating," "distinguishing," "judgment," "choice," "election," "trial," "dispute," "event," and "issue."

κρίνετε [30 verses](2nd pl pres ind act) "Judge" is krino, which primarily means "to separate," "to put asunder," and "to distinguish." It has a lot of other secondary meanings, including "to pick out," "to choose," "to decide" disputes or accounts, "to win" a battle, "to judge" especially in the sense of "estimate," "to expound," or "to interpret" in a particular way.

Wordplay: 

 The self-referencing statement "judge by judgement" 

Related Verses: 

Front Page Date: 

May 2 2022