The Mote and the Beam

The words

Matthew 7:1–6 (opens a new tab)

1. Beam

   A large timber.

   In Matthew’s illustration, the person noticing another’s mote has a beam in his own eye; Jesus says to remove that beam before dealing with the mote.

   Matthew 7:3–5 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 7:1-6 (opens a new tab) · Thayer’s G1385: beam (opens a new tab)

2. Beholdest

   You look at or notice.

   Matthew’s KJV uses beholdest for looking at the mote in the brother’s eye, while the same question contrasts failing to consider the beam in one’s own eye.

   Matthew 7:3 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 7:1-6 (opens a new tab)

3. Brother

   Matthew calls the other person brother in the eye illustration; the offered help concerns the brother’s mote, while Jesus first directs attention to the helper’s own beam.

   Matthew 7:3–5 (opens a new tab)

4. Clearly

   Matthew places seeing clearly after the instruction to cast out one’s own beam; the next action in Jesus’s saying is removing the mote from the brother’s eye.

   Matthew 7:5 (opens a new tab)

5. Considerest

   You consider or pay attention to.

   Matthew contrasts noticing the brother’s mote with not considering one’s own beam; the NET gives “do not notice” as an alternative rendering of this part of the question.

   Matthew 7:3 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 7:1-6 (opens a new tab)

6. Dogs

   Jesus’s warning about holy things names dogs before the image of pearls and swine; Matthew places this after the instruction about the beam and the mote.

   Matthew 7:5–6 (opens a new tab)

7. Feet

   In Matthew’s warning about pearls before swine, feet belongs to the phrase about trampling them underfoot; the same sentence continues with turning and rending.

   Matthew 7:6 (opens a new tab)

8. Judge

   Matthew opens this teaching with Jesus’s words “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” followed by the statement that the judgment and measure used will be returned.

   Matthew 7:1–2 (opens a new tab)

9. Judgment

   Matthew places judgment beside measure in Jesus’s reciprocal saying; the standard used in judging is followed by the warning that the same measure will be measured back.

   Matthew 7:2 (opens a new tab)

10. Measure

    Matthew’s measure saying follows the warning about judgment: Jesus says the measure his hearers use will be measured to them again, before introducing the mote and beam.

    Did you know?

    Luke 6:38 also uses the measure saying, alongside a picture of good measure pressed down, shaken together and running over as it is given.

    Matthew 7:2–3 (opens a new tab) · Luke 6:38 (opens a new tab)

11. Mete

    Measure out.

    Matthew’s KJV uses mete in the measure saying immediately after the warning about judgment; Jesus says that the measure used will be measured to the hearers again.

    Matthew 7:2 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 7:1-6 (opens a new tab)

12. Mote

    A small speck.

    Matthew contrasts the mote in the brother’s eye with the beam in one’s own; the NET calls the mote a speck, and Thayer includes dry stalk, twig or straw.

    Matthew 7:3–5 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 7:1-6 (opens a new tab) · Thayer’s G2595: speck (opens a new tab)

13. Pearls

    Matthew places pearls in Jesus’s warning against casting them before swine, immediately after the statement about holy things and dogs; the verse then warns of trampling.

    Matthew 7:6 (opens a new tab)

14. Rend

    Tear apart.

    Matthew’s KJV ends the animal warning with “turn again and rend you,” after the trampling phrase; the NET uses tear in its rendering of the ending.

    Matthew 7:6 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 7:1-6 (opens a new tab)

15. Trample

    Matthew’s image of pearls before swine includes a warning that the pearls may be trampled underfoot; the same verse also names dogs and warns of turning and rending.

    Matthew 7:6 (opens a new tab)