Deuteronomy 16:19
New Living Translation
19 You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly.
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Leviticus 19:15
New Living Translation
15 “Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.
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Exodus 23:2
New Living Translation
2 “You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.
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Proverbs 17:23
New Living Translation
23 The wicked take secret bribes
to pervert the course of justice.
Habakkuk 1:4
New Living Translation
4 The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
Deuteronomy 24:17
New Living Translation
17 “True justice must be given to foreigners living among you and to orphans, and you must never accept a widow’s garment as security for her debt.
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Deuteronomy 10:17
New Living Translation
17 “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.
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Ecclesiastes 7:7
New Living Translation
7 Extortion turns wise people into fools,
and bribes corrupt the heart.
Proverbs 24:23
New Living Translation
More Sayings of the Wise
23 Here are some further sayings of the wise:
It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.
Deuteronomy 27:19
New Living Translation
19 ‘Cursed is anyone who denies justice to foreigners, orphans, or widows.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
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Acts 23:3
New Living Translation
3 But Paul said to him, “God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite![a] What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that?”
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- 23:3 Greek you whitewashed wall.
Acts 16:37
New Living Translation
37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!”
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Acts 10:34
New Living Translation
The Gentiles Hear the Good News
34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.
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Micah 7:3
New Living Translation
3 Both their hands are equally skilled at doing evil!
Officials and judges alike demand bribes.
The people with influence get what they want,
and together they scheme to twist justice.
Isaiah 1:17
New Living Translation
17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.
Exodus 23:6-8
New Living Translation
6 “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.
7 “Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent.
8 “Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.
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Ezekiel 22:12
New Living Translation
12 There are hired murderers, loan racketeers, and extortioners everywhere. They never even think of me and my commands, says the Sovereign Lord.
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Jeremiah 5:28
New Living Translation
28 They are fat and sleek,
and there is no limit to their wicked deeds.
They refuse to provide justice to orphans
and deny the rights of the poor.
Isaiah 33:15
New Living Translation
15 Those who are honest and fair,
who refuse to profit by fraud,
who stay far away from bribes,
who refuse to listen to those who plot murder,
who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong—
Isaiah 1:23
New Living Translation
23 Your leaders are rebels,
the companions of thieves.
All of them love bribes
and demand payoffs,
but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans
or fight for the rights of widows.
Proverbs 24:28
New Living Translation
28 Don’t testify against your neighbors without cause;
don’t lie about them.
Job 31:21-22
New Living Translation
21 “If I raised my hand against an orphan,
knowing the judges would take my side,
22 then let my shoulder be wrenched out of place!
Let my arm be torn from its socket!
1 Samuel 12:3
New Living Translation
3 Now testify against me in the presence of the Lord and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.”
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1 Samuel 8:3
New Living Translation
3 But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
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Deuteronomy 1:16-17
New Living Translation
16 “At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions 17 and impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’
Read full chapterHoly Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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