Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Judgment » How not to judge
But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not take note of his face or how tall he is, because I will not have him: for the Lord's view is not man's; man takes note of the outer form, but the Lord sees the heart.
Let not your decisions be based on what you see, but on righteousness.
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.
Do not be moved to do wrong by the general opinion, or give the support of your words to a wrong decision: But, on the other hand, do not be turned from what is right in order to give support to a poor man's cause.
Do no wrong in your judging: do not give thought to the position of the poor, or honour to the position of the great; but be a judge to your neighbour in righteousness.
In judging, do not let a man's position have any weight with you; give hearing equally to small and great; have no fear of any man, for it is God who is judge: and any cause in which you are not able to give a decision, you are to put before me and I will give it a hearing.
To have respect for the person of the evil-doer is not good, or to give a wrong decision against the upright.
These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.