New International Version
Leviticus 19:15
15“ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
Leviticus 19:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly.
Context of Leviticus 19:15
13“ ‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “ ‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. 14“ ‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. “ ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. 16“ ‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people. “ ‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. 17“ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.
Read all of Leviticus 19Leviticus 19:15 word by word
לֹא־תַעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֙וֶל֙ בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־דָ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר פְּנֵ֣י גָד֑וֹל בְּצֶ֖דֶק תִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Ye shall doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- no unrighteousnessעָ֫וֶל‛evel ‛âvel ‛avlâh ‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · injusticeH5766
- in judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- thou shalt not respectנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: kindnessH5375
- the personפָּנֶהpânîym · face: kindnessH6440
- of the poorדַּלdal · poorH1800
- nor honourהָדַרhâdar · to honorH1921
- the personפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- of the mightyגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- in righteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- shalt thou judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- thy neighbourעָמִית‛âmîyth · neighborH5997
Cross-references for Leviticus 19:15
- Leviticus 19:35“ ‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.
- Exodus 18:21But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
- Exodus 23:2“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd,
- Deuteronomy 1:17Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.”
- Deuteronomy 16:19Do 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.
- Deuteronomy 25:13Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light.
- Deuteronomy 27:19“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
- 2 Chronicles 19:6He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict.
- Psalms 82:2“How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
- Proverbs 18:5It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice.
- Proverbs 24:23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:
- James 2:6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?
Commentaries on Leviticus 19:15
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15In a legal case, judges were not to favor either the poor or the rich. Justice had to come first at all times (see Exodus 23:3, 6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1611-16. Ye shall not steal--A variety of social duties are inculcated in this passage, chiefly in reference to common and little-thought-of vices to which mankind are exceedingly prone; such as committing petty frauds, or not scrupling to violate truth in transactions of business, ridiculing bodily infirmities, or circulating stories to the prejudice of others. In opposition to these bad habits, a spirit of humanity and brotherly kindness is strongly…Read the comment
Topics related to Leviticus 19:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Leviticus 19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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