I have noticed quite a lot of talk recently about the Bible and what it says. What I’ve seen primarily is passages being taken out of context to support an assertion. One of the most over- and mis-used is
Matthew 7.1: ‘Do not judge so that you will not be judged.’*
Usually, this is quoted from the King James Version: ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’ Sounds a little more authoritative there, doesn’t it? When people quote this verse, most are doing so in response to someone they feel is being judgmental. Most who use this verse feel that no one should judge what anyone else is doing, no matter what it is. There are a couple of problems with this way of thinking. First, there is simply the fact that using this scripture is a judgment itself, and is, therefore, self-defeating. Second, the entire passage is not taken into account:
‘Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.‘*
Matthew 7.1-5 (Emphasis mine)
The first problem I mentioned above was that by quoting the one verse, there is already judgment being passed. Telling someone else they are being judgmental is judgmental and self-defeating.
The other problem is that the verse does not actually say what people want it to say when it is quoted in this manner. I’m reminded of one of my favorite lines from The Princess Bride. ‘You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.’ People often quote from the Bible to prove a point, but if the verse being quoted is taken out of context, nothing is proven but an ignorance of God’s Word.
This passage doesn’t say to not judge anyone. First, it talks about judging ‘brothers,’ which in Bible terminology means other believers. Second, it says that we will be judged in the same way we judge others. This is a caution to not judge unfairly. Third, there is a fairly harsh declaration at the end to deal with your own sins before anyone else’s. I would think this especially applies to judging another’s sin when you are participating in the same sin. This reminds me of children who are doing something wrong, but then tell on another child who is doing the same thing.
This is not a perfect explanation of the passage, but I hope it makes the point that we can’t just pull a single verse out of the Bible and make it say what we want it to say.
*NASB
All the Writings 
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