“You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.
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.
- BSB Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists 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.
- 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 16:19You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.
- Prov 17:23A wicked man receives a bribe in secret, to pervert the ways of justice.
- Isa 5:23who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice for the innocent!
- Prov 15:27He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.
- 1 Sam 8:3His sons didn’t walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
- Ps 26:10in whose hands is wickedness, their right hand is full of bribes.
- Eccl 7:7Surely extortion makes the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroys the understanding.
- Deut 10:17For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn’t respect persons, nor takes reward.
- 1 Sam 12:3Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a ransom to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
- Amos 5:12For I know how many your offenses, and how great are your sins — you who afflict the just, who take a bribe, and who turn aside the needy in the courts.
- Prov 17:8A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.
- Prov 19:4Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend.
- Ezek 22:12In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord Yahweh.
- Mic 7:3Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
- Hos 4:18Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.
- Isa 1:13Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can’t bear with evil assemblies.
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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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