Parallel Verses
New Heart English Bible
You shall not wrest justice: you shall not respect persons; neither shall you take a bribe; for a bribe does blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
New American Standard Bible
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.
Holman Bible
Do not deny justice or show partiality to anyone. Do not accept a bribe, for it blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
International Standard Version
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.
A Conservative Version
Thou shall not distort justice. Thou shall not respect persons, neither shall thou 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.
Amplified
You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts 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.
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.
Julia Smith Translation
Thou shalt not turn away Judgment; thou shalt not look upon and thou shalt not take a gift, for the gift will blind the eyes of the wise and will pervert the words of the just.
King James 2000
You shall not pervert judgment; you shall not show partiality, neither take a bribe: for a bribe does blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
Lexham Expanded Bible
You shall not subvert justice; you shall not {show partiality}; and you shall not take a bribe, for the bribe makes blind [the] eyes of [the] wise and misrepresents [the] words of [the] righteous.
Modern King James verseion
You shall not pervert judgment; you shall not respect persons, nor take a gift. For a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Wrest not the law, nor know any person, neither take any reward: for gifts blind the wise and pervert the words of the righteous.
NET Bible
You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort the words of the righteous.
The Emphasized Bible
Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not take note of faces, - nor shalt thou accept a bribe, for the bribe, blindeth the eyes of wise men, and perverteth the words of righteous men.
Webster
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 wrest justice: you shall not respect persons; neither shall you take a bribe; for a bribe does blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
Youngs 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.
Themes
Blindness » What blinds people
Bribery » What gifts (bribes) do
Bribery » Not taking gifts (bribes)
Courts » Miscellaneous topics relating to courts and judicial procedure » Laws for judges
Courts of justice » Judges of » Not to take bribes
Earthly » Reward » Earthly, a source of temptation
Topics
Interlinear
Natah
Mishpat
Nakar
Paniym
Laqach
References
Word Count of 20 Translations in Deuteronomy 16:19
Verse Info
Context Readings
Appointing Judges And Officials
18 You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 19 You shall not wrest justice: you shall not respect persons; neither shall you take a bribe; for a bribe does blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. 20 You shall follow that which is altogether just, that you may live, and inherit the land which the LORD your God gives you.
Phrases
Cross References
Exodus 23:2
You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice;
Leviticus 19:15
"'You shall do no injustice in judgment: you shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.
Ecclesiastes 7:7
Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
Exodus 23:6-8
"You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.
Deuteronomy 10:17
For the LORD your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn't respect persons, nor takes reward.
Deuteronomy 24:17
You shall not deprive the foreigner, or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow's clothing in pledge;
Deuteronomy 27:19
'Cursed is he who wrests the justice due the foreigner, fatherless, and widow.' All the people shall say, 'Amen.'
Proverbs 17:23
A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
Proverbs 24:23
These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.
Deuteronomy 1:16-17
I commanded your judges at that time, saying, "Hear cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the foreigner who is living with him.
1 Samuel 8:3
His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
1 Samuel 12:3
Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes therewith? I will restore it to you."
Job 31:21-22
if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, because I saw my help in the gate,
Proverbs 24:28
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause. Do not deceive with your lips.
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow."
Isaiah 1:23
Your rulers are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They do not judge the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
Isaiah 33:15
He who walks righteously, and speaks blamelessly; He who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing to take a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from looking at evil?
Jeremiah 5:28
They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they do not judge the right of the needy.
Ezekiel 22:12
In you have they taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,' says the Lord GOD.
Micah 7:3
Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
Habakkuk 1:4
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.
Zephaniah 3:3-5
Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
Acts 10:34
And Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God does not show favoritism;
Acts 16:37
But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison. Do they now release us secretly? No indeed. Let them come themselves and bring us out."
Acts 23:3
Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you sit to judge me according to the Law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?"