If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.

你若在一省之中见穷人受欺压，并夺去公义公平的事，不要因此诧异；因有一位高过居高位的鉴察，在他们以上还有更高的。

你若在一个地区看见穷人受欺压，公义公平被掠夺，不要因此惊奇；有一位高过居高位的在鉴察，在他们之上还有更高的。

你若在一个地区看见穷人受欺压，公义公平被掠夺，不要因此惊奇；有一位高过居高位的在鉴察，在他们之上还有更高的。

若你在某地看见穷人受欺压，公平正义被扭曲，不要震惊，因为官上有官，在众官之上还有更高的官。

如果你在一省之中，看到穷人遭受欺压，公正和公义被夺去，也不必因此惊讶，因为高位者之上有较高的照应，在他们之上还有更高的。

如果你在某一省中看到穷人受欺压，公正和公义被夺去，不要因此感到惊奇，因为高位者之上有更高的在保护他，在他们之上还有更高的保护他们。

你若在一省之中見窮人受欺壓，並奪去公義公平的事，不要因此詫異；因有一位高過居高位的鑒察，在他們以上還有更高的。

你若在一個地區看見窮人受欺壓，公義公平被掠奪，不要因此驚奇；有一位高過居高位的在鑒察，在他們之上還有更高的。

你若在一個地區看見窮人受欺壓，公義公平被掠奪，不要因此驚奇；有一位高過居高位的在鑒察，在他們之上還有更高的。

若你在某地看見窮人受欺壓，公平正義被扭曲，不要震驚，因為官上有官，在眾官之上還有更高的官。

如果你在一省之中，看到窮人遭受欺壓，公正和公義被奪去，也不必因此驚訝，因為高位者之上有較高的照應，在他們之上還有更高的。

你若在一省之中見有窮乏人受欺壓、而公平公義的權利被剝奪，你不要因這事而詫異；因為有一位高於居高位者在鑒察着，而在他們以上還有更高的。

如果你在某一省中看到窮人受欺壓，公正和公義被奪去，不要因此感到驚奇，因為高位者之上有更高的在保護他，在他們之上還有更高的保護他們。

若在州中見貧者受虐、或見強者奪公義、勿以為異、蓋有居位較高者鑒之、又有更高者在焉、

爾觀州邑強暴、虐貧枉法、則勿殷憂、人雖居高位、更有尊於彼者、鑒察其所為、其上又有至尊至高者。

然有王受國人之服役、凡事究於國有益、或作王營謀農事於國為益莫大

Suppose you see poor people being mistreated somewhere. And what is being done to them isn’t right or fair. Don’t be surprised by that. One official is watched by a higher one. Officials who are even higher are watching both of them.

If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.

Don’t be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy.

If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.

If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for[ he that is] higher than the highest regardeth; and[ there be] higher than they.

If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.

“ Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord.“ I will protect them from those who malign them.”

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.

And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment— wickedness was there, in the place of justice— wickedness was there.

God presides in the great assembly; he renders judgment among the“ gods”:

Say to him,‘ This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him,‘ This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood— yes, yours!’”Ahab said to Elijah,“ So you have found me, my enemy!”“ I have found you,” he answered,“ because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord.

Go to Kalneh and look at it; go from there to great Hamath, and then go down to Gath in Philistia. Are they better off than your two kingdoms? Is their land larger than yours?You put off the day of disaster and bring near a reign of terror.You lie on beds adorned with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves.You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

The angel answered,“ The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness—

Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up.“ Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.Then the angel said to him,“ Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so.“ Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him.Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“ Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath!I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets.But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations.

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.Then the angel said to me:“ Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,

Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city.

Am I still to forget your ill- gotten treasures, you wicked house, and the short ephah, which is accursed?Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully.Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins.

Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty- five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning— there were all the dead bodies!

Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter.Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you,“ Violence!” but you do not save?Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.

For what hope have the godless when they are cut off, when God takes away their life?Does God listen to their cry when distress comes upon them?Will they find delight in the Almighty? Will they call on God at all times?“ I will teach you about the power of God; the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.You have all seen this yourselves. Why then this meaningless talk?“ Here is the fate God allots to the wicked, the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:However many his children, their fate is the sword; his offspring will never have enough to eat.The plague will bury those who survive him, and their widows will not weep for them.Though he heaps up silver like dust and clothes like piles of clay,what he lays up the righteous will wear, and the innocent will divide his silver.The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman.He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest snatches him away in the night.The east wind carries him off, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.It hurls itself against him without mercy as he flees headlong from its power.It claps its hands in derision and hisses him out of his place.”

For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.

Let them know that you, whose name is the Lord— that you alone are the Most High over all the earth.

“‘ See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.In you they have treated father and mother with contempt; in you they have oppressed the foreigner and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.In you are slanderers who are bent on shedding blood; in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines and commit lewd acts.In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed; in you are those who violate women during their period, when they are ceremonially unclean.In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife, another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law, and another violates his sister, his own father’s daughter.In you are people who accept bribes to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign Lord.“‘ I will surely strike my hands together at the unjust gain you have made and at the blood you have shed in your midst.Will your courage endure or your hands be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.

Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land,saying,“ When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”— skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales,buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob:“ I will never forget anything they have done.

This is what the Lord Almighty says:“ It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the Lord Almighty.

For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy:“ I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.

The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.Then people will say,“ Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”

“ So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say,‘ My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far- off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.Therefore, the Lord says:“ I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.

When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say,“ I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.

And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the Lord saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was destroying the people,“ Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

Then I said,“ Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel. Should you not embrace justice,you who hate good and love evil; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;who eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin and break their bones in pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot?”Then they will cry out to the Lord, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.

Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.

Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

“ But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion.”Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:“ They will not mourn for him:‘ Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him:‘ Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’He will have the burial of a donkey— dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.”

You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever.

“ This is what the Lord Almighty said:‘ Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’“ But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and covered their ears.They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry.“‘ When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the Lord Almighty.

May slanderers not be established in the land; may disaster hunt down the violent.I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.

Hear this, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right;who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness.Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say,“ Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.”Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build.“ Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure.Nothing is left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure.In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him.When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows on him.Though he flees from an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.He pulls it out of his back, the gleaming point out of his liver. Terrors will come over him;total darkness lies in wait for his treasures. A fire unfanned will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.The heavens will expose his guilt; the earth will rise up against him.A flood will carry off his house, rushing waters on the day of God’s wrath.Such is the fate God allots the wicked, the heritage appointed for them by God.”