Tag Archives: James 4:11

Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί, ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ καὶ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου, ἀλλὰ κριτής. (James 4:11)

Do not speak against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother and judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Slander as Judgment of the Law

James issues a stark ethical and theological warning against slander among believers:

Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί… “Do not speak against one another, brothers…”

He then explains that slandering a brother is functionally equivalent to judging the law itself, a bold theological statement that reverses the moral posture of the speaker: from obedient doer to presumptuous judge.… Learn Koine Greek