“Don’t do something just because everyone else is doing it. If a group of people are doing wrong, don’t join them. You must not let those people persuade you to do wrong things—you must do what is right and fair.
Proverbs 28:21 - Easy To Read Version A judge must be fair. He must not support a person simply because of who that person is. But some judges will change their decisions for only the smallest payment. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 To have respect of persons is not good: For for a piece of bread that man will transgress. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition To have respect of persons and to show partiality is not good, neither is it good that man should transgress for a piece of bread. American Standard Version (1901) To have respect of persons is not good; Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread. Common English Bible Those who show favoritism aren’t good; people do wrong for a crust of bread. Catholic Public Domain Version Whoever shows favoritism in judgment does not do well; even if it is for a morsel of bread, he forsakes the truth. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version He that hath respect to a person in judgment, doth not well: such a man even for a morsel of bread forsaketh the truth. |
“Don’t do something just because everyone else is doing it. If a group of people are doing wrong, don’t join them. You must not let those people persuade you to do wrong things—you must do what is right and fair.
“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.
\{You must be fair in judging people.\} If you let guilty people go free then you are not being fair to good people.
You make the people think I am not important. You turn them against me for a few handfuls of barley and a few scraps of bread. You tell lies to my people. Those people love to listen to lies. You kill people that should live. And you let people live that should die.
“Ephraim has joined their drunkenness. Let them continue to be prostitutes. Let them be with their lovers.
Some false prophets are telling lies to the Lord’s people. The Lord says this about those prophets:
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
People like that are not serving our Lord Christ. They are only doing things to please themselves. They use fancy talk and say nice things to fool the people that don’t know about evil.
When you judge, you must not think that one person is more important than another person. You must judge every person the same. Don’t be afraid of anyone, because your decision is from God. But if there is a case too hard for you to judge, then bring it to me and I will judge it.’
Those false teachers only want your money. So they will use you by telling you things that are not true. But the judgment against those false teachers has been ready for a long time. And they will not escape the One (God) who will destroy them.