Thematic Bible: Corrupt


Thematic Bible





Your rulers are rebels,
friends of thieves.
They all love graft
and chase after bribes.
They do not defend the rights of the fatherless,
and the widow’s case never comes before them.
Verse ConceptsGiftsBribery, Results OfExploitationsWicked RulersOppression, Nature OfOrphansReward, HumanRiches, Dangers OfRulersStealingLeadershipRulers, WickedCovetousness, Example OfEvil AssociationsCompanionshipNot Helping Widows

who acquit the guilty for a bribe
and deprive the innocent of justice.
Verse ConceptsAcquittalGuiltAcquitting The Guilty

Both hands are good at accomplishing evil:
the official and the judge demand a bribe;
when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,
they plot it together.
Verse ConceptsGiftsAliancesAmbition, negative aspects ofWicked RulersJudgesPower, HumanReward, HumanSkillRulers, WickedCharacter Of WickedGuileAmbidextrousTwo Of Body PartsContinuing In SinLording It

Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,
her priests teach for payment,
and her prophets practice divination for money.
Yet they lean on the Lord, saying,
“Isn’t the Lord among us?
No disaster will overtake us.”
Verse ConceptsFalse ConfidenceLove, Abuse OfMoney, Uses OfPriests, Institution In Ot TimesSpiritual MalnutritionReward, HumanUnfaithful MinistersSelfishness, Shown InCorrupt PriestsMisteachingWicked ProphetsGod Is Among YouBelief In GodGod SupportingDivinityRewards Of RitualFinancesMaking Decisionsprophetspriests


Many seek a ruler’s favor,
but a man receives justice from the Lord.
Verse ConceptsFalse ConfidenceCelebritiesPleasing MenSeeking The Favour Of GodMaking DecisionsFavor

Woe to those enacting crooked statutes and writing oppressive laws to keep the poor from getting a fair trial and to deprive the afflicted among my people of justice, so that widows can be their spoil and they can plunder the fatherless.

The princes within her are roaring lions;
her judges are wolves of the night,
which leave nothing for the morning.
Verse ConceptsLionsWolvesIn The Morning

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death. But they could not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two who came forward stated, "This man said, 'I can demolish God's sanctuary and rebuild it in three days.' " read more.
The high priest then stood up and said to Him, "Don't You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?"

For he knew they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judge's bench, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for today I've suffered terribly in a dream because of Him!" The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. read more.
The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" "Barabbas!" they answered. Pilate asked them, "What should I do then with Jesus, who is called Messiah?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!" Then he said, "Why? What has He done wrong?" But they kept shouting, "Crucify Him!" all the more. When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that a riot was starting instead, he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves!" All the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then he released Barabbas to them. But after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

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They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes convened. Verse ConceptsOld Age, Attitudes ToAssembling LeadersOpposition To Christ From ScribesThe Chief Priests Convened

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they could find none. For many were giving false testimony against Him, but the testimonies did not agree. Some stood up and were giving false testimony against Him, stating, read more.
"We heard Him say, 'I will demolish this sanctuary made by [human] hands, and in three days I will build another not made by hands.' " Yet their testimony did not agree even on this. Then the high priest stood up before them all and questioned Jesus, "Don't You have an answer to what these men are testifying against You?" But He kept silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest questioned Him, "Are You the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" "I am," said Jesus, "and all of you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven ." Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What is your decision?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death. Then some began to spit on Him, to blindfold Him, and to beat Him, saying, "Prophesy!" Even the temple police took Him and slapped Him.


After they had ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, saying, "What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign, evident to all who live in Jerusalem, has been done through them, and we cannot deny it! But so this does not spread any further among the people, let's threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again." read more.
So they called for them and ordered them not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Then they induced men to say, "We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!" They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came up, dragged him off, and took him to the Sanhedrin. They also presented false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. read more.
For we heard him say that Jesus, this Nazarene, will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

At the same time he was also hoping that money would be given to him by Paul. For this reason he sent for him quite often and conversed with him. After two years had passed, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus, and because he wished to do a favor for the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison.

Then one of the Twelve-the man called Judas Iscariot-went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?" So they weighed out 30 pieces of silver for him.

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. In the letters, she wrote: Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people. Then seat two wicked men opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, "You have cursed God and king!" Then take him out and stone him to death. read more.
The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had commanded them, as was written in the letters she had sent them. They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. The two wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth has cursed God and king!" So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. Then they sent [word] to Jezebel, "Naboth has been stoned to death."

Seventy elders from the house of Israel were standing before them, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had an incense burner in his hand, and a fragrant cloud of incense was rising up. Then He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his idol? For they are saying: The Lord does not see us. The Lord has abandoned the land."

Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood," he said. "What's that to us?" they said. "See to it yourself!"

Her priests do violence to My instruction and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they do not explain the difference between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Verse ConceptsAtonement, in OTHoliness,  Worldly SeparationPriests, Function In Ot TimesUnfaithfulness, To GodCorrupt PriestsClean And UncleanSabbath ViolatedThey Do Not Keep CommandsLack Of Holiness

because both prophet and priest are ungodly, even in My house I have found their evil. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration. Therefore, their way will be to them like slippery paths in the gloom. They will be driven away and fall down there, for I will bring disaster on them, the year of their punishment. [This is] the Lord's declaration.

A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Verse ConceptsPassing ByHeartlessnessluckpriestsstories

When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

Pilate responded, “Take Him and crucify Him yourselves, for I find no grounds for charging Him.” Verse ConceptsChief priestsAccusations, Against ChristCorrupt PriestsChrist Would Be KilledThe Chief Priests Condemning Christ

In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked Him and said, Verse ConceptsChief priestsCorrupt PriestsMocking ChristOpposition To Christ From ScribesFunpriests

Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,
her priests teach for payment,
and her prophets practice divination for money.
Yet they lean on the Lord, saying,
“Isn’t the Lord among us?
No disaster will overtake us.”
Verse ConceptsFalse ConfidenceLove, Abuse OfMoney, Uses OfPriests, Institution In Ot TimesSpiritual MalnutritionReward, HumanUnfaithful MinistersSelfishness, Shown InCorrupt PriestsMisteachingWicked ProphetsGod Is Among YouBelief In GodGod SupportingDivinityRewards Of RitualFinancesMaking Decisionsprophetspriests

Her prophets are reckless
treacherous men.
Her priests profane the sanctuary;
they do violence to instruction.
Verse ConceptsPriests, Function In Ot TimesSanctuaryTreacheryCorrupt PriestsPollutionsWicked ProphetsLack Of HolinessUnfaithful

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead. Verse ConceptsPersuasionInciting To EvilCorrupt PriestsBarabbasPeople Set Free By People

The prophets prophesy falsely,
and the priests rule by their own authority.
My people love it like this.
But what will you do at the end of it?
Verse ConceptsSelf DeceptionCorrupt PriestsWicked ProphetsLoving EvilDirectionprophets

Her priests do violence to My instruction and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they do not explain the difference between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Verse ConceptsAtonement, in OTHoliness,  Worldly SeparationPriests, Function In Ot TimesUnfaithfulness, To GodCorrupt PriestsClean And UncleanSabbath ViolatedThey Do Not Keep CommandsLack Of Holiness

Hear this, priests!
Pay attention, house of Israel!
Listen, royal house!
For the judgment applies to you
because you have been a snare at Mizpah
and a net spread out on Tabor.
Verse ConceptsNetsTrapCorrupt PriestsSnares Laid for PeopleMan Trapping

Like raiders who wait in ambush for someone,
a band of priests murders on the road to Shechem.
They commit atrocities.
Verse ConceptsPriests, Function In Ot TimesRoadsCorrupt PriestsLeaders Sinning

The chief priests and the elders, however, persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to execute Jesus. Verse ConceptsMultitudesChief priestsPersuasionInciting To EvilCorrupt PriestsBarabbasAttempts To Kill Christ





A righteous person who yields to the wicked
is like a muddied spring or a polluted well.
Verse Conceptsdouble mindednessFountainsProverbsSpring Of Waterpressure

Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? Verse ConceptsBitter WaterBad WaterSweetnessBitterness

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