8 Bible Verses about Partiality

Most Relevant Verses

James 2:1-4

My brothers, do not hold [views regarding] the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ [i.e., as tenets of Christianity] which show favoritism toward [certain] persons. For, suppose a person comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothing and [then another] person comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothing. Now if you people show special attention to the one wearing the fine clothing and say [to him], "You can sit here in this good seat," and to the poor person, "You stand over there," or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"read more.
are you not making class distinctions among yourselves and judging [people] from evil motives?

1 Timothy 5:21

I solemnly urge you, in the presence of God, and Christ Jesus and the elect [i.e, chosen] angels, that you obey these instructions without showing prejudice [toward anyone], or doing anything out of partiality.

Acts 10:28-35

And he said to them, "You people know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with, or even go near a person from another [i.e., non-Jewish] country, and yet God showed me that I should not consider any person ordinary or [ceremonially] unacceptable. So, I came [here] when I was sent for, without objecting. [Now,] why have you sent for me?" Cornelius [then] said, "Four days ago, when I was at home, praying at the appointed hour (i.e., three o'clock in the afternoon) [See verse 3], suddenly a man in bright clothing appeared in front of me.read more.
He said to me, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and God has taken account of your giving money to poor people. Therefore, send [men] to Joppa and ask for Simon Peter to come to you. He is staying at the house of Simon, a tanner [of animal hides] who lives close to the [Mediterranean] sea.' So, I proceeded to send [my men] for you and you have done the right thing in coming [here]. Now, therefore, we are all assembled here before God, to hear everything you were commanded by the Lord [to tell us]." Then Peter began to speak. He said, "I perceive that God truly does not show favoritism toward anyone, but that whoever respects Him and does what is right, whatever country he may be from, is acceptable to Him.

Acts 15:36-40

Then after some days Paul suggested to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we proclaimed the message of the Lord, to see how they are doing." Barnabas [agreed, and] wanted to take John Mark [his cousin, See Col. 4:10] with them. But Paul was not at all in favor of taking someone who had left them and refused to continue on in the work [of preaching the Gospel] when they were in Pamphylia. [See 13:13].read more.
A heated discussion developed [over this matter] so that Paul and Barnabas went their separate ways [over it], with Barnabas sailing for Cyprus and taking [John] Mark with him. But Paul chose Silas and, after being commended to the [care and] favor of the Lord by the brothers, he left,

Philippians 2:19-22

But I hope in [harmony with the wishes of] the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I could be encouraged when I learn of your situation [i.e., when Timothy returns with news from Philippi]. For I do not have anyone else [i.e., as a fellow-worker] who thinks the same way I do, and who will genuinely care for your [spiritual and material] needs. For everyone else is looking out for his own interests, not for those of Jesus Christ.read more.
But you people know about his proven reliability, how he served with me in advancing [the work of] the Gospel just like a son working with his father.

Romans 9:6-24

But it is not as if the word of God [i.e., His promise to Israel] has failed [in its fulfillment]. For not all those descended from the Israelites are [truly] Israelites [i.e., God's people]. Neither are all [Jewish] people children [of God], [simply] because they are Abraham's descendants. But [Gen. 21:12 says], "It is through Isaac that you [i.e., Abraham] will have descendants." This means that it is not the physical descendants [of Abraham] who are God's children, but it is the children [born] according to [God's] promise who are [Abraham's true] descendants.read more.
For these are the words of the promise [Gen. 18:10], "I [i.e., God] will come at the appointed time and Sarah will have a son." And that is not all, but Rebecca also conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac. (OMITTED TEXT) For even before the twins were born, and therefore had not done anything good or bad, Rebecca was told [Gen. 25:23], "The older one [i.e., Esau] will serve the younger one [i.e., Jacob]." This was so that God's purpose of choosing and calling [whomever He wanted to] might prevail, instead of [it depending on] what a person did. Just as it is written [Mal. 1:2-3], "I [i.e., God] loved Jacob, but hated Esau." What shall we say then? Is God guilty of wrongdoing? Certainly not! For He said to Moses [Ex. 33:19], "I will show pity to whomever I want, and I will show mercy to whomever I want." So then, it does not depend on what a person wants or does, but on God, who shows pity [i.e., to whomever He wants]. For the Scripture said to Pharaoh [Ex. 9:16], "I raised you up [to be a ruler] for the very purpose of demonstrating my power in your life and that my name might be made known throughout the entire world." So then, God has pity on whomever He wants to, and He makes stubborn whomever He wants. But you [i.e., probably an objecting Jew] will say to me, "Why does God still find fault [with people]? For who can [successfully] resist what God wants to do?" But who [do you think] you are, [you mere] man, to [attempt a] reply to God? Will the object formed [i.e., a clay pot] say to the one who molded it "Why did you make me this way?" Or, does not the potter have the right to make what he wants to out of the clay? Can he not make both a beautiful vase and a common pot out of the same lump [of clay]? What if God [did] patiently put up with people who deserved His wrath and [who were] ready for destruction, even though He was willing to demonstrate His wrath and power? [What if He did this] in order to demonstrate His wealth of glory toward people who deserved His mercy, whom He had previously determined should receive [such special] honor? We were these people, whom He called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles.

Luke 9:51-56

And it happened when the time came for Jesus to be taken up [to heaven] that He firmly determined to go to Jerusalem. So, He sent messengers on ahead of Him, who went and entered a Samaritan village to prepare for Him [i.e., for His food and lodging]. And these Samaritans did not welcome Him because He was heading for Jerusalem. [Note: They perceived He was a Jew and Samaritans did not associate with Jews].read more.
And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said [to Him], "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to burn them up?" But He turned to them and spoke sternly. {{Some manuscripts add "You do not know what kind of a spirit you represent, for the Son of man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them"}} So, they went to another village.

1 Corinthians 4:6

Now I have applied these things, brothers, to myself and to Apollos as an illustration for your benefit, so that you might learn to "follow the written message." [Note: This is thought to have been a common way of referring, in that day, to the importance of adhering to Old Testament Scripture]. So, none of you should be more proud of one [leader] than of another.

From Thematic Bible


Parents » Examples of fathers' love » Partiality

More verses: Genesis 42:4

Partiality » Sometimes attributed to God

Partiality » Forbidden

1 Timothy 5:21

I solemnly urge you, in the presence of God, and Christ Jesus and the elect [i.e, chosen] angels, that you obey these instructions without showing prejudice [toward anyone], or doing anything out of partiality.

Jude 1:16

These people are gripers and complainers, living according to their own [evil] desires, whose mouths speak boastfully, and who show partiality [toward certain people] to gain some advantage.

Partiality » Parents

More verses: Genesis 42:4

Partiality » Forbidden among brethren

1 Timothy 5:21

I solemnly urge you, in the presence of God, and Christ Jesus and the elect [i.e, chosen] angels, that you obey these instructions without showing prejudice [toward anyone], or doing anything out of partiality.

Partiality » Its effect on other children

Respect of persons » Partiality

James 2:1-9

My brothers, do not hold [views regarding] the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ [i.e., as tenets of Christianity] which show favoritism toward [certain] persons. For, suppose a person comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothing and [then another] person comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothing. Now if you people show special attention to the one wearing the fine clothing and say [to him], "You can sit here in this good seat," and to the poor person, "You stand over there," or "Sit on the floor by my feet," read more.
are you not making class distinctions among yourselves and judging [people] from evil motives? Listen, my dearly loved brothers; did not God choose those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be wealthy in faith and to inherit the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you people have dishonored the poor person. Are not rich people the ones who oppress you and drag you to court? Do they not speak against the honorable name by which you are called? [i.e., the name "Christ" or "Christian"]. However, you are doing well if you fulfill [i.e., obey] the royal law found in the Scriptures [Lev. 19:18], "You should love your neighbor the same way that you love yourself." But if you show favoritism toward [certain] persons, you are committing a sin and are convicted by the law [of God] as lawbreakers.

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Theasaurus: Partiality