let him who is without sin cast the first stone

English

Alternative forms

• let he who is without sin cast the first stone
• let him that is without sin cast the first stone

Etymology

An allusion to an utterance of Jesus in John 8:7, viz. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”^[1]

Phrase

let him who is without sin cast the first stone

1. Only those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment upon others (implying that no one is faultless and that, therefore, no one has such a right to pass judgment).
   • 1710, Richard Lucas, Twenty Four Sermons Preached on Several Occaſions (2nd ed., printed for Benjamin Walford and William Innys at the Princes-Arms in St Paul’s Church-Yard), volume II, sermon VI: “Charity in Cenſuring Sinners”, page 150

     The behaviour of our Lord on this occaſion, conſiſting in two things; An Anſwer to the Scribes and Phariſees, and Admonition to the wretched Sinner. His Anſwer to the Scribes and Phariſees is, Let him that is without ſin caſt the firſt ſtone. His Admonition to the Woman, Go and ſin no more.

Translations

only those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others

Bulgarian: който от вас е без грях, нека пръв хвърли камък (kojto ot vas e bez grjah, neka prǎv hvǎrli kamǎk) Dutch: laat hij die zelf nooit zondigt, de eerste steen maar gooien, wie zonder zonde is werpe de eerste steen Finnish: joka teistä on synnitön, se heittäköön häntä ensimmäisenä kivellä French: que celui qui n’a jamais péché jette la première pierre Polish: kto z was jest bez grzechu, niech pierwszy rzuci na nią kamień Portuguese: quem nunca pecou que atire a primeira pedra Spanish: el que esté libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra.

References

1. The Holy Bible, Authorized King James Version (1611), “The Gospel According to John”, chapter 8, verses 3–7
     ³And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
     ⁴They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
     ⁵Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
     ⁶This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
     ⁷So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.