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.”

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.