²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,^(A) for you were foreigners^(B) in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.^{(C) 23} If you do and they cry out^(D) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.^{(E) 24} My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.^(F)

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.^{(G) 26} If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,^(H) return it by sunset, ²⁷ because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?^(I) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.^(J)

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports.^(A) Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.^(B)

² “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice^(C) by siding with the crowd,^{(D) 3} and do not show favoritism^(E) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s^(F) ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.^{(G) 5} If you see the donkey^(H) of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

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

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

⁹ “Do not oppress a foreigner;^(O) you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.