² “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice^(A) by siding with the crowd,^(B)

³ and do not show favoritism^(A) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁶ “Do not deny justice^(A) to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷ Have nothing to do with a false charge^(B) and do not put an innocent^(C) or honest person to death,^(D) for I will not acquit the guilty.^(E)

⁸ “Do not accept a bribe,^(F) for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

¹⁶ And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge^(A) fairly,^(B) whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.^(C)

¹⁷ Do not show partiality^(A) in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone,^(B) for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”^(C)

25 When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges^(A) will decide the case,^(B) acquitting^(C) the innocent and condemning the guilty.^(D)

⁵ He appointed judges^(A) in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. ⁶ He told them, “Consider carefully what you do,^(B) because you are not judging for mere mortals^(C) but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict. ⁷ Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice^(D) or partiality^(E) or bribery.”

⁸ In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites,^(F) priests^(G) and heads of Israelite families to administer^(H) the law of the Lord and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. ⁹ He gave them these orders: “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord. ¹⁰ In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities—whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations—you are to warn them not to sin against the Lord;^(I) otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.