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Luke 12:57

in Luke 12

And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

KJV

Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

This verse in Luke 12

Commentary

18 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

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.

This site's exposition

why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right

on Luke 12:57-59

Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right presses the crowd to apply ordinary good sense to their own spiritual situation, the same discernment they use for weather now asked of their standing before God. When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him pictures a debtor on the road to court, still able to settle before the case is formally heard, lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison naming the escalating stages once the matter passes out of the debtor’s own hands. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite closes the chapter with a warning about urgency, reconciliation sought now while the way is still open rather than after judgment has already begun to run its course.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book IV · Written before 220.

proposed

But then who could know the times of him of whom he had no evidence to prove his existence? Justly also does He upbraid them for "not even of themselves judging what is right." Of old does He command by Zechariah, "Execute the judgment of truth and peace; " by Jeremiah, "Execute judgment and righteousness; " by Isaiah, "Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow," charging it as a fault upon the vine of Sorech, that when "He looked for righteousness therefrom, there was only a cry" (of oppression).

A commentator

Apostolic Constitutions

Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book 2 · Written before 380.

proposed

But it is the duty of the bishop to judge rightly, as it is written, "Judge righteous judgment;" and elsewhere, "Why do ye not even of yourselves judge what is right?" Be ye therefore as skilful dealers in money: for as these reject bad money, but take to themselves what is current, in the same manner it is the bishop's duty to retain the unblameable, but either to heal, or, if they be past cure, to cast off those that are blameworthy, so as not to be hasty in cutting off, nor to believe all accusations; for it sometimes happens that some, either through passion or envy, do insist on a false accusation against a brother, as did the two elders in the case of Susanna in Babylon, and the Egyptian woman in the case of Joseph. Do thou therefore, as a man of God, not rashly receive such accusations, lest thou take away the innocent and slay the righteous.

A commentator

Basil of Caesarea

THE MORALS 17 · Written before 379.

proposed

Having recognized the nature of this present time from the signs revealed to us by the Scriptures, we should dispose our affairs accordingly.

A commentator

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 95 · Written before 444.

proposed

"And why even of yourselves judge you not what is just? For while you are going with him who has a suit against you, in the way to the magistrate, give diligence that you may be delivered from him; lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the exactor, and the exactor cast you into prison. I tell you, you shall not come out thence, until you have made compensation unto the last mite." Now perhaps it may be imagined that the sense of this passage is difficult to comprehend: but it will become very easy if we examine the metaphor by what takes place among ourselves. For let there be supposed, He says, some one who has brought a charge against you before one of those in authority, and has pointed you out to those whose office it is to carry the accused into court, and is causing you to be taken thither. "While therefore, He says, you are still with him on the way," that is, before you have come to the judge, "give diligence," that is, weary not, in using all your earnestness that you may be delivered from him. […]

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 253.

proposed

But had it not been implanted in our nature to judge what is right, our Lord would never have said this.
11 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Bonaventure

Commentary on Luke, Chapter 12 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

Secondly, as to the admonition of the interior judgment, it is added: Why do you not even of yourselves judge what is just? As if to say: even if you neglect the exterior admonition, do not neglect the interior one. Whence Ecclesiasticus 31: "Know the …

A commentator

Bede

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 735.

proposed

But lest any of the people should allege their ignorance of the prophetical books as a reason why they could not discern the courses of the times, He carefully adds, And why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right, showing them that although unlearned they might still by their natural ability discern Him, who did works such as none other man did, to be above man, and to be God, and that therefore after the injustice of this world, the just judgment of the creation would come.

A commentator

Bede

On the Gospel of Luke · Written before 735.

proposed

But why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Showing them, as rational creatures, and even if they are illiterate, they can by natural instinct discern, either that one who has done works among them which no one else could have done should …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

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?

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Christ's Charge to His Apostles. 1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:91%@v1-2

Yea, and why even of yourselves,....

The Nineteenth Century5 voices

The first thing which this passage teaches us—is the duty of noticing the signs of the times. The Jews in our Lord's days neglected this duty. They shut their eyes against events of the most significant character—which were occurring in their own day. They refused to see that prophecies were being fulfilled around them—which were bound up with the coming of Messiah, and that the Messiah Himself must be in the midst of them. The ministry of John the Baptist had excited attention from one end of the land to the other.
THESE words were addressed by our Savior to the common people who had gathered around Him. He appealed to their common sense. They were able to foretell the weather from the signs which they saw in the heavens and if they could do this, the signs of His coming were even more clear and manifest, so that if they would but use their eyes they might see that He was the Messiah. That they did not do so was an instance of hypocrisy of heart—they did not see the Savior because they would not.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

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.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

The first thing which this passage teaches us—is the duty of noticing the signs of the times. The Jews in our Lord's days neglected this duty. They shut their eyes against events of the most significant character—which were occurring in their own day. They refused to see that prophecies were being fulfilled around them—which were bound up with the coming of Messiah, and that the Messiah Himself must be in the midst of them. The ministry of John the Baptist had excited attention from one end of the land to the other. The miracles of Christ were great, undeniable, and well-known. But still the eyes of the Jews were blinded. They still obstinately refused to believe that Jesus was the Christ. And hence they drew from our Lord the question, "Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you do not know how to interpret this present time?" It befits the servants of God, in every age, to observe the public events of their own day, and to compare them with the predictions of unfulfilled prophecy. There is nothing commendable in an ignorant indifference to contemporary history. The true Christian should rather watch the career of governments and nations with a jealous watchfulness—and hail with gladness the slightest indication of the day of the Lord being at hand. The Christian who cannot see the hand of God in history, and does not believe in the gradual movement of all kingdoms towards the final subjection of all things to Christ—is as blind as the Jew! Let us remember the words of our Lord in the passage before us—and not err after the manner of the Jews. Let us not be blind, and deaf, and insensible to all that God is doing, both in the Church and in the world. May we all have an ear to hear—and a heart to understand! May we not sleep as many do, but watch and discern our time!
THESE words were addressed by our Savior to the common people who had gathered around Him. He appealed to their common sense. They were able to foretell the weather from the signs which they saw in the heavens and if they could do this, the signs of His coming were even more clear and manifest, so that if they would but use their eyes they might see that He was the Messiah. That they did not do so was an instance of hypocrisy of heart—they did not see the Savior because they would not. Our Savior's coming had been very clearly foretold by the Prophets. The people were generally acquainted with the Prophetic writings and there had been, consequently, a general expectation of the coming of the Messiah at the time. Above all, the scepter had departed from Judah and they knew by this sure signal that the set time for the coming of Shiloh had arrived. Beyond this, our Savior's Character and miracles attested His Messiahship, for He worked among the people such works as no other man had ever done and taught them with a Divine authority which they could not resist. Did not the blind see? Did not the deaf hear? Did not the lame walk? Were not lepers cleansed and the dead raised? And was not the Gospel preached to the poor? What other tokens could they ask? Were not these the ensigns which their great Prophet, Isaiah, had left on record for their guidance? As certainly as a cloud in the western sky predicted rain and a wind from the south was the sign of heat, so assuredly there were infallible tokens, visible to all who chose to see them, that the Messiah had come! He charges them to use their common sense and not submit themselves to be hoodwinked by their leaders.

The words behind it

9 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Acts 2:40

    With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”

    it leads to

    • Philippians 2:15

      so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

    • Deuteronomy 32:5

      His people have acted corruptly toward Him; the spot on them is not that of His children, but of a perverse and crooked generation.

  • Through

    John 7:24

    Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 11:3–4

      And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,

    • James 2:9

      But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

    • John 8:15

      You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

    • Proverbs 17:15

      Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.

  • Through

    Deuteronomy 32:29

    If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 81:13

      If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways,

    • Deuteronomy 5:29

      If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commandments always, so that it might be well with them and with their children forever.

Where this verse is studied

About Luke

The Return of the Prodigal Son, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
The Return of the Prodigal Son, Gustave Doré. Public domain.
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Apostolic Constitutions, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book 2; Basil of Caesarea, THE MORALS 17; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 12; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1135: “Signs Of The Times” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 95; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Tertullian, Against Marcion Book IV.