11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? (James 4:11-12 KJV)
Do Not Judge a Brother
In this part of the chapter, we are cautioned against the sin of speaking evil: “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers” (James 4:11). The Greek word katalaleite means to speak in a way that harms or injures others. We must not speak evil of others—even if true—unless there is a necessary reason. Much less should we report things that are false or uncertain. Our words should be guided by kindness, truth, and justice. Solomon describes the virtuous woman as one who “opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” (Proverbs 31:26). That should be true of every Christian.
Speak not evil of others because you are brothers. The term “brothers” carries weight; since we are part of the same family in Christ, we must be careful with one another’s reputations. Where we cannot speak well, it is better to remain silent than to speak harmfully. We must not take pleasure in exposing faults, exaggerating them, or spreading falsehoods. To do so only fuels hatred and division, even among those who share our faith and calling.
Consider, you are brothers.
Also, speaking evil is a way of judging the law: “Whoever speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law” (James 4:11). The law says, “You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people” (Leviticus 19:16), and “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). The heart of God’s law is love. Slandering a neighbor is therefore a rejection of God’s command. To break the law is to speak evil of it, to act as though it were flawed or too strict.
Those James addressed were quick to speak harshly of one another over non-essential matters (like food or religious days—see Romans 14). But if someone condemns another over things left indifferent by God’s law, they are in effect condemning the law itself, as though it erred in leaving such matters open. Let the law judge those who break it, and let us not judge those who do not.
This sin is serious because it forgets our role: we are to obey the law, not judge it. The one who slanders is not a doer of the law but assumes a role that belongs to God. Those most eager to judge others often fail to obey themselves.
Furthermore, only God—the Lawgiver—has the right to judge: “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:12). This doesn’t remove the authority of governments or dismiss civil laws, but it reminds us that only God governs the conscience. He alone can fully reward obedience and punish disobedience. He alone saves and destroys souls eternally. Therefore, we must fear and obey Him. Since there is only one Lawgiver, no man or group has the right to bind the conscience apart from God’s Word. We are warned, as before, against becoming many teachers (James 3:1), and now against becoming many judges. We must not set up our own opinions as rules for others; we already have God’s law as our guide.