Exodus 23:1–9

Regulations Regarding Justice

23 “ ‘You will not ⌊spread⌋a a false report. Do not lift your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness. 2 You will not ⌊follow⌋b a majorityc for evil, and you will not testify concerning a legal dispute to turn aside after a majorityd to pervert justice. 3 You will not be partial to a powerless persone in his legal dispute.

4 “ ‘If you come upon the ox of your enemy or his donkey going astray, you will certainly bring it back to him. 5 If you see the donkey of your enemy lying down under its burden, you will refrain from abandoning him. You will surely arrangef it with him.

6 “ ‘You will not pervert the justice of your poor in his legal dispute. 7 You will stay far from a ⌊false charge⌋,g and do not kill the innocent and the righteous, because I will not declare the wicked righteous.h 8 And you will not take a bribe, because the bribe makes the sighted blind and ruins the words of the righteous. 9 And you will not oppress an alien; you yourselves know the feelingsi of the alien, because you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

a	Literally “lift”
b	Literally “be behind”
c	Or “many” or “the many”
d	Or “many” or “the many”
e	Or “a poor person”
f	Or “restore” or “put in order”
g	Literally “word of deception”
h	Or “treat as innocent” or “acquit”
i	Or “inner self” or “soul”