Thematic Bible: Court


Thematic Bible



your rulers are rebellious, and companions of thieves; everyone loves a bribe, and is pursuing rewards; they do not judge the orphan, nor does the cause of the widow come to them.

who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Both hands are on evil, to do it well. The ruler asks for a bribe, and the judge also; and the great man speaks the evil desire of his soul. So they weave it together.



Many seek the ruler's favor; but each man's judgment comes from Jehovah.

Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the scribes who write toil; to turn aside the needy from judgment, and to steal the right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and they rob the orphans!

Her rulers within her are roaring lions; her judges evening wolves. They do not gnaw bones for the morning.

And the chief priests and the elders and all the sanhedrin sought false witness against Jesus, in order to put Him to death. But they found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came up and said, This one said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. read more.
And standing up, the high priest said to Him, Do you answer nothing? What is it that these witness against you?

For he knew they had delivered Him because of envy. But as he was sitting down on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have nothing to do with that just man, for today because of Him I have suffered many things in a dream. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. read more.
The governor answered and said to them, Which of the two do you desire that I release to you? They said, Barabbas. Pilate said to them, What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? They all said to him, Let Him be crucified. And the governor said, Why? What evil has He done? But they cried out the more, saying, let Him be crucified! But when Pilate saw that it gained nothing, but rather that a tumult was made, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person. You see to it. Then all the people answered and said, Let His blood be on us and on our children. Then he released Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

And they led Jesus away to the high priest. And with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

And the chief priests and all the sanhedrin sought for witness against Jesus, to put Him to death. And they found none. For many testified falsely against Him, but the testimonies were not identical. And certain ones rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying, read more.
We heard Him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither was their testimony identical. And standing up in the middle, the high priest questioned Jesus, saying, Do you answer nothing? What do these witness against you? But He was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I AM! And you will see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of the heaven. Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; what do you think? And they all condemned Him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on Him, and to cover His face and to beat Him, and to say to Him, Prophesy! And the under-officers struck Him with slaps.


And when they had commanded them to go aside out of the sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, saying, What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle has been done by them is plain to all those dwelling in Jerusalem. And we cannot deny it. But, so that it spread no further among the people, let us strictly threaten them, that they speak to no man in this name from now on. read more.
And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor to teach in the name of Jesus.

And they induced men to be saying, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God. And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes. And coming on, they seized him and brought him to the sanhedrin. And they set up false witnesses, who said, This man does not cease speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the Law. read more.
For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered to us.

He also hoped that silver would be given him by Paul, that he might free him. Therefore he also frequently sent for him and talked with him. But after two years Felix welcomed a successor, Porcius Festus. And wishing to show a favor to the Jews, Felix left Paul bound.


And Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed and hanged on a tree. This One God has exalted to be a Ruler and Savior to His right hand in order to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel. read more.
And we are His witnesses of these things. And so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.

And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right before God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

And the priests and the prophets spoke to the rulers and to all the people, saying, Let a death sentence be for this man, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears. Then Jeremiah spoke to all the rulers and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. So now make your ways and your doings good, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God. And Jehovah will repent of the evil that He has spoken against you. read more.
As for me, behold, I am in your hand. Do with me as seems good and right to you. But know for certain that if you put me to death you shall surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its people. For truly Jehovah has sent me to you to speak all these Words in your ears. Then the rulers and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, There is not a sentence of death for this man; for he has spoken to us in the name of Jehovah our God.

And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. And Pilate asked Him again, saying, Do you answer nothing? Behold how many things they witness against you! But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marveled.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, Rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we are examined today on a good work for an infirm man, by what this one has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in this name does this man stand before you whole. read more.
This is the Stone which you builders have counted worthless, and He has become the Head of the Corner. And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Then the high priest said, Then do you so hold these things? And he said, Men, brothers, and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. And He said to him, "Go out from your land and from your kindred, and come into a land which I shall show you." read more.
Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, he moved into this land in which you now dwell. And He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not even a foot-breadth. And He promised that He would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, there being no child to him. And God spoke in this way, that his seed would be a tenant in another land, and that they would enslave it and oppress it four hundred years. And God said, "I will judge the nation to whom they shall be in bondage," and "after these things they will come out and will serve Me in this place." And He gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham fathered Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day. And Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs. And being jealous of Joseph, the patriarchs sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and plucked him out from all his afflictions, and He gave him favor and wisdom over against Pharaoh king of Egypt. And he appointed him governor over Egypt and all his household. But a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and a great affliction. And our fathers found no food. But hearing grain was in Egypt, Jacob sent out our fathers first. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's race was made known to Pharaoh. And seeing, Joseph called his father Jacob, and all his kindred, seventy-five souls. And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over into Shechem. And they were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price of silver from the sons of Emmor the father of Shechem. But as the time was drawing near, of the promise which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, until another king arose who did not know Joseph. Dealing subtly with our race, this one oppressed our fathers, causing their infants to be exposed, so as not to be left alive. In this time Moses was born, and was beautiful to God, who was brought up three months in his father's house. And he being cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up and reared him for a son to her. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds. And when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it arose in his heart to look upon his brothers, the sons of Israel. And seeing one being wronged, he defended him. and avenged him who was oppressed and struck the Egyptian. For he thought his brothers would understand that God would give them deliverance by his hand. But they did not understand. And the next day he appeared to them while fighting. And he urged them to peace, saying, Men, you are brothers, why do you wrong one another? But he who wronged his neighbor thrust him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Will you not kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday? And Moses fled at this word, and became a temporary resident in the land of Midian, where he fathered two sons. And forty years being fulfilled to him, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the desert of Mount Sinai in a flame of fire in a bush. And seeing it, Moses marveled at the sight. And as he drew near to see, the voice of the Lord came to him: saying, "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." But Moses trembled and dared not look. Then the Lord said to him, "Loosen the sandal on your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." "I have seen, the affliction of My people in Egypt, and I have heard their groan; and I came down to pluck them out. And now come, I will send you into Egypt." This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? God has sent this one to be a ruler and a redeemer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the Bush. He brought them out after he had worked wonders and miracles in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness forty years. This is that Moses who said to the sons of Israel, "The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet to you from your brothers, One like me; you shall hear Him." This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received the living words to give to us, to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him away and turned back again to Egypt in their hearts, saying to Aaron, "Make us gods to go before us, for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." And they made a calf in those days and offered sacrifice to the idol and rejoiced in the work of their own hands. Then God turned and gave them over to serve the host of the heavens, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: "O house of Israel, have you offered to Me slain beasts and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness? Yea, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which you made in order to worship them; and I will remove you beyond Babylon." The tabernacle of witness was among our fathers in the wilderness, as commanded by God, speaking to Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen. Which also having received it by inheritance with Joshua, our fathers, with Joshua, in taking possession of the nations whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David, who found favor with God and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built Him a house. But, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says, "Heaven is My throne and earth is My footstool. What house will you build Me, says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Has not My hand made all these things?" O stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so you do. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you have now been the betrayers and murderers; who received the Law through disposition of angels, and did not keep it. And hearing these things, they were cut to their hearts. And they gnashed on him with their teeth. But being full of the Holy Spirit, looking up intently into Heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, Behold, I see Heaven opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.

And looking earnestly on the sanhedrin, Paul said, Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, God shall strike you, whitened wall! For do you sit judging me according to the Law, and against law command me to be stricken? read more.
And they who stood by him said, Do you revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest; for it is written, "You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people." But when Paul saw that the one part were Sadducees and the other part Pharisees, he cried out in the sanhedrin, Men! Brothers! I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I am being judged because of the hope and resurrection of the dead. And when he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.


then his father and his mother shall lay hold on him and bring him out to the elders of his city, and to the gate of his place.

And he shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city. And they shall take him into the city to themselves and make him a place, and he shall live with them.

then shall the father of the girl, and her mother, take and bring tokens of the girl's virginity to the elders of the city in the gate.

And if the man does not want to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders and say, My husband's brother refuses to raise up a name in Israel to his brother. He will not perform my levirate.

And Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there. And behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by. And he said, Such a one! Turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat down.

These are the things that you shall do. Each man speak the truth to his neighbor. Judge with truth and justice for peace in your gates.


Of whomever sins you remit, they are remitted to them. Of whomever sins you retain, they are retained.

Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges. Of the men of Hebron, Hashabiah and his brothers, men of valor, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of Jehovah, and in the service of the king. Jerijah was the chief among the men of Hebron. He was of the Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valor at Jazer of Gilead. read more.
And his brothers, mighty men, were two thousand and seven hundred chief fathers whom King David made rulers over the men of Reuben, of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter having to do with God and the affairs of the king.

And Jehoshaphat set some of the Levites and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Israel in Jerusalem for the judgment of Jehovah, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem. And he charged them, saying, And you shall act in the fear of Jehovah, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And whatever cause shall come to you from your brothers that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall even warn them so that they do not sin against Jehovah, and wrath come on you and your brothers. Do this and you shall not sin. read more.
And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Jehovah. And Zebadiah the son of Ishmael is the ruler of the house of Judah for all the king's matters. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Take courage and act, and Jehovah shall be with the good.

But if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take one or two more with you, so that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he neglects to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen and a tax-collector. read more.
Truly I say to you, Whatever you shall bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven; and whatever you shall loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in Heaven.


And you shall look out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain. And place such over them to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. And it shall be, every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge. And make it easier for yourself, and they shall bear with you. If you will do this thing, and God command you, then you shall be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. read more.
And Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all times. The hard causes they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

And I took the chiefs of your tribes, wise and noted men, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. And I commanded your judges at that time saying, Hear the causes between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger with him. You shall not respect persons in judgment. You shall hear the small as well as the great. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's. And the cause that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.

If a matter is too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, matters of strife within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose. And you shall come to the priests of the Levites, and to the judge that shall be in those days, and ask. And they shall declare to you the sentence of judgment. And you shall do according to the sentence which they declare to you from that place which Jehovah shall choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they tell you. read more.
According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach you and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand or the left. And the man that acts proudly and will not listen to the priest who stands to minister there before Jehovah your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. And you shall put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear, and not be presumptuous any more.

And he set judges in the land, in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. And he said to the judges, Take heed what you do. For you do not judge for man, but for Jehovah, who is with you in the judgment. And now let the fear of Jehovah be on you. Be careful and act wisely, for there is no iniquity with Jehovah our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. read more.
And Jehoshaphat set some of the Levites and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Israel in Jerusalem for the judgment of Jehovah, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem. And he charged them, saying, And you shall act in the fear of Jehovah, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And whatever cause shall come to you from your brothers that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall even warn them so that they do not sin against Jehovah, and wrath come on you and your brothers. Do this and you shall not sin.


And he set judges in the land, in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. And he said to the judges, Take heed what you do. For you do not judge for man, but for Jehovah, who is with you in the judgment. And now let the fear of Jehovah be on you. Be careful and act wisely, for there is no iniquity with Jehovah our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. read more.
And Jehoshaphat set some of the Levites and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Israel in Jerusalem for the judgment of Jehovah, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem. And he charged them, saying, And you shall act in the fear of Jehovah, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. And whatever cause shall come to you from your brothers that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall even warn them so that they do not sin against Jehovah, and wrath come on you and your brothers. Do this and you shall not sin.

You shall not follow a multitude to do evil. Neither shall you speak in a cause in order to follow many in order to wrest judgment. And you should not favor a poor man in his cause.

You shall not pervert the judgment of your poor in his cause. Keep far from a false matter, and do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked. And you shall take no bribe, for the bribe blinds the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

And I commanded your judges at that time saying, Hear the causes between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother, and the stranger with him. You shall not respect persons in judgment. You shall hear the small as well as the great. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's. And the cause that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.

If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgment, and they have been judged, and the righteous one is declared righteous, and the wrongdoer declared guilty,


If a matter is too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, matters of strife within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose. And you shall come to the priests of the Levites, and to the judge that shall be in those days, and ask. And they shall declare to you the sentence of judgment. And you shall do according to the sentence which they declare to you from that place which Jehovah shall choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they tell you. read more.
According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach you and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand or the left. And the man that acts proudly and will not listen to the priest who stands to minister there before Jehovah your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. And you shall put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear, and not be presumptuous any more.

Now gather yourself in troops, daughter of a troop; one sets a siege against us; they shall strike the Judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

And looking earnestly on the sanhedrin, Paul said, Men, brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, God shall strike you, whitened wall! For do you sit judging me according to the Law, and against law command me to be stricken? read more.
And they who stood by him said, Do you revile God's high priest? Then Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest; for it is written, "You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people."


And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in a circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places. And his return was to Ramah, for his house was there. And he judged Israel there. And he built an altar there to Jehovah.


If a matter is too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, matters of strife within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which Jehovah your God shall choose. And you shall come to the priests of the Levites, and to the judge that shall be in those days, and ask. And they shall declare to you the sentence of judgment. And you shall do according to the sentence which they declare to you from that place which Jehovah shall choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they tell you. read more.
According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach you and according to the judgment which they shall tell you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the sentence which they shall show you, to the right hand or the left. And the man that acts proudly and will not listen to the priest who stands to minister there before Jehovah your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. And you shall put away the evil from Israel.


And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest, and before the rulers and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,


And she lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim. And the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment.


And Esther called for Hatach, one of the king's eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend on her, and gave him a command to Mordecai to know what it was and why it was. And Hatach went forth to Mordecai, to the street of the city in front of the king's gate.

And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again Esther spoke to Hatach, and gave him command to Mordecai.


And the man that acts proudly and will not listen to the priest who stands to minister there before Jehovah your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. And you shall put away the evil from Israel.