Proverbs 17:23

Easy To Read Version

An evil person accepts secret payment for cheating other people.

Cross References

Exodus 23:8

“If a person tries to pay you to agree with him when he is wrong, don’t accept that payment. A payment like that can blind judges so that they can’t see the truth. And a payment like that can make good people tell lies.

Proverbs 17:8

Some people think a bribe is like a lucky charm—wherever they go, it seems to work.

Proverbs 18:16

If you want to meet an important person, give him a gift. Then you can easily get to meet him.

Proverbs 21:14

If a person is angry with you, give him a gift in secret. A gift that is given in secret can stop great anger.

Ecclesiastes 7:7

Even a wise man will forget his wisdom,\par if someone pays him enough money.\par That money destroys his understanding.\par

Isaiah 1:23

Your rulers are rebels and friends of thieves. All of your rulers demand bribes—they accept money for doing wrong things. All of your rulers take pay for cheating people. Your rulers don’t try to help the children that have no parents. And your rulers don’t listen to the needs of the women whose husbands are dead.”

Isaiah 5:23

And if you pay those people money, they will forgive a criminal. But they don’t allow good people to be judged fairly.

Ezekiel 22:12

“‘In Jerusalem, you men take money to kill people. You people lend money and charge interest on those loans. You people cheat their neighbors just to make a little money. And you people have forgotten me.’ The Lord my Master said these things.

Ezekiel 22:27

“The leaders in Jerusalem are like a wolf eating the animal it has caught. Those leaders attack and kill people just to get rich.

Micah 3:11

The judges in Jerusalem accept bribes\par to help them decide who wins in court.\par The priests in Jerusalem must be paid\par before they will teach the people.\par People must pay the prophets\par before they will look into the future.\par And then those leaders expect the Lord\par to help them. They say,\par “The Lord lives here with us.\par So nothing bad will happen to us.”\par

Micah 3:9

Leaders of Jacob and rulers of Israel,\par listen to me!\par You hate the right way of living!\par If something is straight,\par then you make it crooked!\par

Micah 7:3

People are good at doing bad things\par with both hands.\par Officials ask for bribes.\par Judges take money\par to change their decisions in court.\par “Important leaders” \{don’t make\par good and fair decisions\}.\par They do whatever they want to do.\par

Deuteronomy 16:19

You must always be fair. You must not favor some people over other people. You must not take money to change your mind in judgment. Money blinds the eyes of wise people and changes what a good person will say.

1 Samuel 12:3

Here I am. If I have done anything wrong, you must tell those things to the Lord and his chosen king. Did I steal anyone’s cow or donkey? Did I hurt or cheat anyone? Did I ever take money, or even a pair of shoes, to do something wrong? If I did any of these things, then I will make it right.”

1 Samuel 8:3

But Samuel’s sons did not live the same way he did. Joel and Abijah accepted bribes. They took money secretly and changed their decisions in court. They cheated people in court.