Deuteronomy 25:1
New King James Version
Laws of Social Responsibility
25 “If there is a (A)dispute between men, and they come to [a]court, that the judges may judge them, and they (B)justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,
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- Deuteronomy 25:1 Lit. the judgment
Proverbs 17:15
New King James Version
15 (A)He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
Deuteronomy 17:8-9
New King James Version
8 (A)“If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgment or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the (B)place which the Lord your God chooses. 9 And (C)you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and (D)to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; (E)they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgment.
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Deuteronomy 1:16-17
New King James Version
16 “Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and (A)judge righteously between a man and his (B)brother or the stranger who is with him. 17 (C)You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for (D)the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, (E)bring to me, and I will hear it.’
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Matthew 3:10
New King James Version
10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. (A)Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
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Malachi 3:18
New King James Version
18 (A)Then you shall again discern
Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God
And one who does not serve Him.
Habakkuk 1:13
New King James Version
13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
A person more righteous than he?
Habakkuk 1:4
New King James Version
4 Therefore the law is powerless,
And justice never goes forth.
For the (A)wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.
Micah 3:1-2
New King James Version
Wicked Rulers and Prophets
3 And I said:
“Hear now, O heads of Jacob,
And you (A)rulers of the house of Israel:
(B)Is it not for you to know justice?
2 You who hate good and love evil;
Who strip the skin from [a]My people,
And the flesh from their bones;
Footnotes
- Micah 3:2 Lit. them
Ezekiel 44:24
New King James Version
24 (A)In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, (B)and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.
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Jeremiah 21:12
New King James Version
12 O house of David! Thus says the Lord:
(A)“Execute[a] judgment (B)in the morning;
And deliver him who is plundered
Out of the hand of the oppressor,
Lest My fury go forth like fire
And burn so that no one can quench it,
Because of the evil of your doings.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 21:12 Dispense justice
Isaiah 32:1-2
New King James Version
A Reign of Righteousness
32 Behold, (A)a king will reign in righteousness,
And princes will rule with justice.
2 A man will be as a hiding place from the wind,
And (B)a [a]cover from the tempest,
As rivers of water in a dry place,
As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 32:2 shelter
Isaiah 11:4
New King James Version
4 But (A)with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall (B)strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Isaiah 5:23
New King James Version
23 Who (A)justify the wicked for a bribe,
And take away justice from the righteous man!
Isaiah 1:23
New King James Version
23 (A)Your princes are rebellious,
And (B)companions of thieves;
(C)Everyone loves bribes,
And follows after rewards.
They (D)do not defend the fatherless,
Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
Isaiah 1:17
New King James Version
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke [a]the oppressor;
[b]Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 1:17 Some ancient vss. the oppressed
- Isaiah 1:17 Vindicate
Proverbs 31:8-9
New King James Version
8 (A)Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [a]appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, (B)judge righteously,
And (C)plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away
Psalm 82:2-4
New King James Version
2 How long will you judge unjustly,
And (A)show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 [a]Defend the poor and fatherless;
Do justice to the afflicted and (B)needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy;
Free them from the hand of the wicked.
Footnotes
- Psalm 82:3 Vindicate
Psalm 58:1-2
New King James Version
The Just Judgment of the Wicked
To the Chief Musician. Set to [a]“Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David.
58 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones?
Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men?
2 No, in heart you work wickedness;
You weigh out the violence of your hands in the earth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 58:1 Heb. Al Tashcheth
Job 29:7-17
New King James Version
7 “When I went out to the gate by the city,
When I took my seat in the open square,
8 The young men saw me and hid,
And the aged arose and stood;
9 The princes refrained from talking,
And (A)put their hand on their mouth;
10 The voice of nobles was hushed,
And their (B)tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
11 When the ear heard, then it blessed me,
And when the eye saw, then it approved me;
12 Because (C)I delivered the poor who cried out,
The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
13 The blessing of a perishing man came upon me,
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
14 (D)I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
My justice was like a robe and a turban.
15 I was (E)eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the poor,
And (F)I searched out the case that I did not know.
17 I broke (G)the fangs of the wicked,
And plucked the victim from his teeth.
2 Chronicles 19:6-10
New King James Version
6 and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for (A)you do not judge for man but for the Lord, (B)who is with you [a]in the judgment. 7 Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for (C)there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no (D)partiality, nor taking of bribes.”
8 Moreover in Jerusalem, for the judgment of the Lord and for controversies, Jehoshaphat (E)appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the chief fathers of Israel, [b]when they returned to Jerusalem. 9 And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall act (F)in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a loyal heart: 10 (G)Whatever case comes to you from your brethren who dwell in their cities, whether of bloodshed or offenses against law or commandment, against statutes or ordinances, you shall warn them, lest they trespass against the Lord and (H)wrath come upon (I)you and your brethren. Do this, and you will not be guilty.
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- 2 Chronicles 19:6 Lit. in the matter of the judgment
- 2 Chronicles 19:8 LXX, Vg. for the inhabitants of Jerusalem
2 Samuel 23:3
New King James Version
3 The God of Israel said,
(A)The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling (B)in the fear of God.
Deuteronomy 19:17-19
New King James Version
17 then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord, (A)before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. 18 And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, 19 (B)then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so (C)you shall put away the evil from among you.
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Deuteronomy 16:18-20
New King James Version
Justice Must Be Administered
18 “You shall appoint (A)judges and officers in all your [a]gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 (B)You shall not pervert justice; (C)you shall not [b]show partiality, (D)nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and [c]twists the words of the righteous. 20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may (E)live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
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- Deuteronomy 16:18 towns
- Deuteronomy 16:19 Lit. regard faces
- Deuteronomy 16:19 perverts
Exodus 23:6-7
New King James Version
6 (A)“You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his dispute. 7 (B)Keep yourself far from a false matter; (C)do not kill the innocent and righteous. For (D)I will not justify the wicked.
Read full chapterScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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