Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
Parallel translations
- WEB “You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.
- KJV And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
- NKJV And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the words of the righteous.
- NASB “You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.
- NLT “Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
You shall take no bribe, for it blinds the clear-sighted and twists the words of the righteous. Corruption destroys justice at its root.
Overview
Bribery corrupts even good judges, perverting truth and oppressing the innocent. The command guards the impartiality essential to righteous rule. God Himself takes no bribe and shows no partiality (Deuteronomy 10:17), and His justice is finally satisfied not by payment but by the perfect sacrifice of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Deut 16:19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
- Prov 17:23A wicked man takes a covert bribe to subvert the course of justice.
- Isa 5:23who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.
- Prov 15:27He who is greedy for unjust gain brings trouble on his household, but he who hates bribes will live.
- 1 Sam 8:3But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside toward dishonest gain, accepting bribes and perverting justice.
- Ps 26:10in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.
- Eccl 7:7Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
- Deut 10:17For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
- 1 Sam 12:3Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”
- Amos 5:12For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate.
- Prov 17:8A bribe is a charm to its giver; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
- Prov 19:4Wealth attracts many friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
- Ezek 22:12In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.
- Mic 7:3Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together.
- Hos 4:18When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.
- Isa 1:13Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me—your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 23:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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