¹⁸“Appoint judges and other officials in every town that the Lord your God gives you. These men are to judge the people impartially. ¹⁹^*They are not to be unjust or show partiality in their judgements; and they are not to accept bribes, for gifts blind the eyes even of wise and honest men, and cause them to give wrong decisions. ²⁰Always be fair and just, so that you will occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you and will continue to live there.

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Cross references

*16.19: Ex 23:6–8; Lv 19:15

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the innocent. Follow justice and justice alone, so that you may live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“Appoint judges and officials for your tribes in all your towns the Lord your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. Do not deny justice or show partiality to anyone. Do not accept a bribe, for it blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. Pursue justice and justice alone, so that you will live and possess the land the Lord your God is giving you.

NLTNew Living Translation

“Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly. You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“You shall appoint judges and officials for you in all your towns that Yahweh your God is giving to you throughout your tribes, and you shall render for the people righteous judgments. You shall not subvert justice; you shall not show partiality; and you shall not take a bribe, for the bribe makes blind the eyes of the wise and misrepresents the words of the righteous. Justice, only justice you shall pursue, so that you may live, and you shall take possession of the land that Yahweh your God is giving to you.

KJV 1900King James Version

Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment. Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

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