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18 “You shall appoint judges and officials for you in all your towns[a] that Yahweh your God is giving to you throughout your tribes, and you shall render for the people righteous judgments.[b] 19 You shall not subvert[c] justice; you shall not show partiality;[d] and you shall not take a bribe, for the bribe makes blind the eyes of the wise and misrepresents the words of the righteous. 20 Justice, only justice[e] you shall pursue, so that you may live, and you shall take possession of the land that Yahweh your God is giving to you.

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:18 Literally “gates”
  2. Deuteronomy 16:18 Literally “a judgment based on righteousness”
  3. Deuteronomy 16:19 Or “distort/pervert”
  4. Deuteronomy 16:19 Literally “recognize faces”
  5. Deuteronomy 16:20 Literally “justice justice”

Pursue Justice

18 “Appoint judges and civil servants according to your tribes in all your cities[a] that the Lord your God is about to give you, so they may judge the people impartially.[b] 19 You must not twist justice, show favoritism, or take bribes, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the speech of the righteous. 20 You are to pursue justice—and only justice—so you may live and possess the land that the Lord your God is about to give you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 16:18 Lit. gates
  2. Deuteronomy 16:18 Lit. people with righteous judgment