¹⁶ And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge^(A) fairly,^(B) whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you.^{(C) 17} Do not show partiality^(D) in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone,^(E) for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”^(F)

¹⁷ For the Lord your God is God of gods^(A) and Lord of lords,^(B) the great God, mighty and awesome,^(C) who shows no partiality^(D) and accepts no bribes.^{(E) 18} He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow,^(F) and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.^(G)

² “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice^(A) by siding with the crowd,^{(B) 3} and do not show favoritism^(C) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁶ “Do not deny justice^(A) to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷ Have nothing to do with a false charge^(B) and do not put an innocent^(C) or honest person to death,^(D) for I will not acquit the guilty.^(E)

⁸ “Do not accept a bribe,^(F) for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

¹⁵ “‘Do not pervert justice;^(A) do not show partiality^(B) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(C) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(D)

Further Sayings of the Wise

²³ These also are sayings of the wise:^(A)