“ Suppose two people take a dispute to court, and the judges declare that one is right and the other is wrong.

“人若有争讼，来听审判，审判官就要定义人有理，定恶人有罪。

“人与人若有争讼，要求审判，当宣判义人为义，恶人有罪的时候，

“人与人若有争讼，要求审判，当宣判义人为义，恶人有罪的时候，

“如果发生纠纷，双方告上法庭，审判官要判明是非。

“如果人与人之间有争讼的事，就上法庭去；审判官审判他们的时候，要定义人有理，定恶人有罪；

「人若有爭訟，來聽審判，審判官就要定義人有理，定惡人有罪。

「人與人若有爭訟，要求審判，當宣判義人為義，惡人有罪的時候，

「人與人若有爭訟，要求審判，當宣判義人為義，惡人有罪的時候，

「如果發生糾紛，雙方告上法庭，審判官要判明是非。

“如果人與人之間有爭訟的事，就上法庭去；審判官審判他們的時候，要定義人有理，定惡人有罪；

『人與人之間若有爭訟的事上審判廳，官府審判他們，定有理的無罪，定無理的有罪；

人有訟事、就於士師、士師聽之、必直其義者、罪其惡者、

人有訟事、必就刑官、刑官聽訟、以義人為義、以惡人為惡。

人有爭訟、就士師求審、士師聽訟、以義人為義、以惡人為惡、

When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty.

Suppose two people don’t agree about something. Then they must take their case to court. The judges will decide the case. They will let the one who isn’t guilty go free. And they will punish the one who is guilty.

“ If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty,

“ If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court, and the judges will hear their case. They will clear the innocent and condemn the guilty.

“ If there is a dispute between people and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they declare the righteous innocent and pronounce the wicked guilty,

“ If there is a dispute between men, and they come to court, that the judges may judge them, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,

If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, and the judges judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

“ If there is a dispute between men, they are to go to court, and the judges will hear their case. They will clear the innocent and condemn the guilty.

If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that[ the judges] may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

If controversy arises between people, they should go to court for judgment. When the judges hear the case, they shall exonerate the innocent but condemn the guilty.

If there is a controversy between men, and they come to judgment and the judges judge them, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked.

“ Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide— for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such legal cases to the place the Lord your God will choose,and present them to the Levitical priests or the judge on duty at that time. They will hear the case and declare the verdict.

Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— both are detestable to the Lord.

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.

He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.

and he said to them,“ Always think carefully before pronouncing judgment. Remember that you do not judge to please people but to please the Lord. He will be with you when you render the verdict in each case.Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes.”In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests and clan leaders in Israel to serve as judges for cases involving the Lord’s regulations and for civil disputes.These were his instructions to them:“ You must always act in the fear of the Lord, with faithfulness and an undivided heart.Whenever a case comes to you from fellow citizens in an outlying town, whether a murder case or some other violation of God’s laws, commands, decrees, or regulations, you must warn them not to sin against the Lord, so that he will not be angry with you and them. Do this and you will not be guilty.

“ 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.

“ In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.“ Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent.

This is what the Lord says to the dynasty of David:“‘ Give justice each morning to the people you judge! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Otherwise, my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.

But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?

They take bribes to let the wicked go free, and they punish the innocent.

The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me:‘ The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God,

Justice— do you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly?No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land.

then both the accuser and accused must appear before the Lord by coming to the priests and judges in office at that time.The judges must investigate the case thoroughly. If the accuser has brought false charges against his fellow Israelite,you must impose on the accuser the sentence he intended for the other person. In this way, you will purge such evil from among you.

Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows.

Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

“ They will serve as judges to resolve any disagreements among my people. Their decisions must be based on my regulations. And the priests themselves must obey my instructions and decrees at all the sacred festivals, and see to it that the Sabbaths are set apart as holy days.

“ At that time I instructed the judges,‘ You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisionsand impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’

“ How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? Interlude“ Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.

Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him.Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.

“ Those were the days when I went to the city gate and took my place among the honored leaders.The young stepped aside when they saw me, and even the aged rose in respect at my coming.The princes stood in silence and put their hands over their mouths.The highest officials of the city stood quietly, holding their tongues in respect.“ All who heard me praised me. All who saw me spoke well of me.For I assisted the poor in their need and the orphans who required help.I helped those without hope, and they blessed me. And I caused the widows’ hearts to sing for joy.Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban.I served as eyes for the blind and feet for the lame.I was a father to the poor and assisted strangers who needed help.I broke the jaws of godless oppressors and plucked their victims from their teeth.

Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.

I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong,but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones.