Romans 13:4
New King James Version
4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
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Romans 12:19
New King James Version
19 Beloved, (A)do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, (B)“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
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Proverbs 20:2
New King James Version
2 The [a]wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:2 Lit. fear or terror, produced by the king’s wrath
Proverbs 16:14
New King James Version
14 As messengers of death is the king’s wrath,
But a wise man will (A)appease it.
2 Chronicles 19:6
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.
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- 2 Chronicles 19:6 Lit. in the matter of the judgment
1 Thessalonians 4:6
New King James Version
6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord (A)is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
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Romans 13:6
New King James Version
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
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Micah 3:1-4
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;
3 Who also (C)eat the flesh of My people,
Flay their skin from them,
Break their bones,
And chop them in pieces
Like meat for the pot,
(D)Like flesh in the caldron.”
4 Then (E)they will cry to the Lord,
But He will not hear them;
He will even hide His face from them at that time,
Because they have been evil in their deeds.
Footnotes
- Micah 3:2 Lit. them
Proverbs 24:23-24
New King James Version
Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These things also belong to the wise:
(A)It is not good to [a]show partiality in judgment.
24 (B)He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:23 Lit. recognize faces
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
Micah 3:9
New King James Version
9 Now hear this,
You heads of the house of Jacob
And rulers of the house of Israel,
Who abhor justice
And [a]pervert all equity,
Footnotes
- Micah 3:9 Lit. twist
Ezekiel 25:14
New King James Version
14 (A)I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance,” says the Lord God.
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Ezekiel 22:27
New King James Version
27 Her (A)princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy [a]people, and to get dishonest gain.
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- Ezekiel 22:27 Lit. souls
Jeremiah 5:28
New King James Version
28 They have grown (A)fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they [a]surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead (B)the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
(C)Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 5:28 Or pass over or overlook
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
Ecclesiastes 8:2-5
New King James Version
Obey Authorities for God’s Sake
2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment (A)for the sake of your oath to God. 3 (B)Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power;
And (C)who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful;
And a wise man’s heart [a]discerns both time and judgment,
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 8:5 Lit. knows
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
Proverbs 20:26
New King James Version
26 (A)A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.
Proverbs 20:8
New King James Version
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.
1 Kings 10:9
New King James Version
9 (A)Blessed be the Lord your God, who (B)delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, (C)to do justice and righteousness.”
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Joshua 20:9
New King James Version
9 (A)These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger who [a]dwelt among them, that whoever killed a person accidentally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood (B)until he stood before the congregation.
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- Joshua 20:9 As a resident alien
Numbers 35:19-27
New King James Version
19 (A)The[a] avenger of blood himself shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 (B)If he pushes him out of hatred or, (C)while lying in wait, hurls something at him so that he dies, 21 or in enmity he strikes him with his hand so that he dies, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
22 ‘However, if he pushes him suddenly (D)without enmity, or throws anything at him without lying in wait, 23 or uses a stone, by which a man could die, throwing it at him without seeing him, so that he dies, while he was not his enemy or seeking his harm, 24 then (E)the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood according to these judgments. 25 So the congregation shall deliver the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall return him to the city of refuge where he had fled, and (F)he shall remain there until the death of the high priest (G)who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer at any time goes outside the limits of the city of refuge where he fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the limits of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of [b]blood,
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- Numbers 35:19 A family member who is to avenge the victim
- Numbers 35:27 Murder
Joshua 20:5
New King James Version
5 (A)Then if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not deliver the slayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, but did not hate him beforehand.
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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