Meanings
alternative let he who is without sin cast the first stone · alternative let him that is without sin cast the first stone
- 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).
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.
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
Origin
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.”
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian който от вас е без грях, нека пръв хвърли камък
- който от вас е без грях, нека пръв хвърли камък (kojto ot vas e bez grjah, neka prăv hvărli kamăk)only those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Dutch laat hij die zelf nooit zondigt, de eerste steen maar gooien, wie zonder zonde is werpe de eerste steen
- laat hij die zelf nooit zondigt, de eerste steen maar gooienonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
- wie zonder zonde is werpe de eerste steenonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Finnish joka teistä on synnitön, se heittäköön häntä ensimmäisenä kivellä
- joka teistä on synnitön, se heittäköön häntä ensimmäisenä kivelläonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
French que celui qui n'a jamais péché jette la première pierre, que celui qui n’a jamais … lui jette la première pierre
- que celui qui n'a jamais péché jette la première pierreonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
- que celui qui n’a jamais … lui jette la première pierreonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Italian chi è senza peccato, scagli la prima pietra
- chi è senza peccato, scagli la prima pietraonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Latin qui sine peccato est vestrum primus lapidem mittat
- qui sine peccato est vestrum primus lapidem mittatonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Polish kto z was jest bez grzechu, niech pierwszy rzuci na nią kamień
- kto z was jest bez grzechu, niech pierwszy rzuci na nią kamieńonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Portuguese quem nunca pecou que atire a primeira pedra
- quem nunca pecou que atire a primeira pedraonly those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Spanish el que esté libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra.
- el que esté libre de pecado, que tire la primera piedra.only those who are faultless have the right to pass judgment on others
Cite this entry
let him who is without sin cast the first stone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/let%20him%20who%20is%20without%20sin%20cast%20the%20first%20stone
“let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/let%20him%20who%20is%20without%20sin%20cast%20the%20first%20stone. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “let him who is without sin cast the first stone,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/let%20him%20who%20is%20without%20sin%20cast%20the%20first%20stone.
Source: let him who is without sin cast the first stone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.