Deuteronomy 16:19 “Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a b…”

Deuteronomy 16:19

Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

World English Bible

You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

American Standard Version

Thou shalt not wrest justice: thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a bribe; for a bribe doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Geneva Bible 1599

Wrest not thou ye Law, nor respect any person, neither take rewarde: for the reward blindeth ye eyes of the wise, and peruerteth ye worde of ye iust.

Darby Translation

Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a bribe; for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Young's Literal Translation

Thou dost not turn aside judgment; thou dost not discern faces, nor take a bribe, for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Bible in Basic English

You are not to be moved in your judging by a man's position, you are not to take rewards; for rewards make the eyes of the wise man blind, and the decisions of the upright false.

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Cross references

“wrest”

Leviticus 19:15 Exodus 23:2 Proverbs 17:23 Deuteronomy 24:17 Habakkuk 1:4 Deuteronomy 27:19

Leviticus 19:15 · BSB

You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly.

Exodus 23:2 · BSB

You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd.

Proverbs 17:23 · BSB

A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.

Deuteronomy 24:17 · BSB

Do not deny justice to the foreigner or the fatherless, and do not take a widow’s cloak as security.

Habakkuk 1:4 · BSB

Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

Deuteronomy 27:19 · BSB

‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

“respect”

Deuteronomy 10:17 Proverbs 24:23 Acts 10:34 Proverbs 24:28 Deuteronomy 1:16 Deuteronomy 1:17

Deuteronomy 10:17 · BSB

For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.

Proverbs 24:23 · BSB

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.

Acts 10:34 · BSB

Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,

Proverbs 24:28 · BSB

Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.

Deuteronomy 1:16 · BSB

At that time I charged your judges: “Hear the disputes between your brothers, and judge fairly between a man and his brother or a foreign resident.

Deuteronomy 1:17 · BSB

Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

18You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

20Pursue justice, and justice alone, so that you may live, and you may possess the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Read Deuteronomy 16