John 7:51

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

He who pleads his cause first seems right; until another comes and questions him.

These are the things that you shall do: speak every man the truth with his neighbor. Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates,

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

“How long will you judge unjustly, and show partiality to the wicked?”

He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.

Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,

They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard cases to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

“ ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor show favoritism to the great; but you shall judge your neighbor in righteousness.

You 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.

One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.

and said to the judges, “Consider what you do, for you don’t judge for man, but for Yahweh; and he is with you in the judgment.

These also are sayings of the wise. To show partiality in judgment is not good.

“Therefore I have also made you contemptible and wicked before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law.

But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.

Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.

then you shall inquire, investigate, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination was done among you,

Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you;

for he put his life in his hand, and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

But the governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified!”

But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.

This is the third time I am coming to you. “At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

Don’t receive an accusation against an elder, except at the word of two or three witnesses.

A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

My brothers, don’t hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory with partiality.

But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil. You shall not testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice.

You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.”

For 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 or take bribes.

and you are told, and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is done in Israel,

and the judges shall make diligent inquisition; and behold, if the witness is a false witness, and has testified falsely against his brother,

You shall not deprive the foreigner or the fatherless of justice, nor take a widow’s clothing in pledge;

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, captain of your body guard, and honored in your house?

The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe.

House of David, Yahweh says, ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

“ ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence and plunder, and execute justice and righteousness; dispossessing my people,” says the Lord Yahweh.

Therefore turn to your God. Keep kindness and justice, and wait continually for your God.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.”

It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid.

When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”

I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

“No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”

When his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” his wrath was kindled.

“You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

You shall not favor a poor man in his cause.

“ ‘Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be slain based on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness shall not testify alone against any person so that he dies.

At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses.

If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.

But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”

and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.

If he says, ‘It is well,’ your servant shall have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.

Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”

For we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.

Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”

The king went up to Yahweh’s house, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, both great and small; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in Yahweh’s house.

The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’ houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

because I feared the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I kept silence, and didn’t go out of the door—

Who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?

Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

“You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.

The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?

There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break boundaries, and bloodshed causes bloodshed.

“Thus has Yahweh of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.

They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.

When they had come, they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and don’t defer to anyone; for you aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”

Pilate therefore went out to them, and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?”

Then the commanding officer came near, arrested him, commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done.

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”

When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”

Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”

For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”

Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.

You masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with him.

but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

But he who does wrong will receive again for the wrong that he has done, and there is no partiality.

But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak: not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.

If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent fear,