Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice. New Living Translation It is not right to acquit the guilty or deny justice to the innocent. English Standard Version It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. Berean Standard Bible Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice. King James Bible It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. New King James Version It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. New American Standard Bible To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to suppress the righteous in judgment. NASB 1995 To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. NASB 1977 To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. Legacy Standard Bible To show partiality to the wicked is not good, Nor to thrust aside the righteous in judgment. Amplified Bible To show respect to the wicked person is not good, Nor to push aside and deprive the righteous of justice. Christian Standard Bible It is not good to show partiality to the guilty, denying an innocent person justice. Holman Christian Standard Bible It is not good to show partiality to the guilty by perverting the justice due the innocent. American Standard Version To respect the person of the wicked is not good, Nor to turn aside the righteous in judgment. Contemporary English Version It's wrong to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from getting justice. English Revised Version To accept the person of the wicked is not good, nor to turn aside the righteous in judgment. GOD'S WORD® Translation It is not good to be partial toward a wicked person, thereby depriving an innocent person of justice. Good News Translation It is not right to favor the guilty and keep the innocent from receiving justice. International Standard Version It's not good to be partial towards an evil person, thereby depriving the righteous of justice. NET Bible It is terrible to show partiality to the wicked, by depriving a righteous man of justice. New Heart English Bible To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice. Webster's Bible Translation It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleShowing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice. World English Bible To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFavoring of the face of the wicked [is] not good, "" To turn aside the righteous in judgment. Young's Literal Translation Acceptance of the face of the wicked is not good, To turn aside the righteous in judgment. Smith's Literal Translation To lift up the face of the unjust one is not good; to turn aside the just one in judgment. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleIt is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to decline from the truth of judgment. Catholic Public Domain Version It is not good to accept the character of the impious, so as to turn away from true judgment. New American Bible It is not good to favor the guilty, nor to reject the claim of the just. New Revised Standard Version It is not right to be partial to the guilty, or to subvert the innocent in judgment. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleIt is not good to respect the person of the wicked, nor to pervert justice against the righteous. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated To accept the persons of the evil is not good, neither to pray for judgment upon a righteous one. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917It is not good to respect the person of the wicked, So as to turn aside the righteous in judgment. Brenton Septuagint Translation It is not good to accept the person of the ungodly, nor is it holy to pervert justice in judgment. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Selfishness of the Unfriendly…4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. 5Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice. 6A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.… Cross References Deuteronomy 16:19 Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. Isaiah 5:23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice. Exodus 23:2-3 You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd. / And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit. Leviticus 19:15 You must not pervert justice; you must not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich; you are to judge your neighbor fairly. James 2:9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. Psalm 82:2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Isaiah 10:1-2 Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder. Micah 3:9 Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right, Proverbs 24:23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good. Proverbs 28:21 To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread. Malachi 2:9 “So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in matters of the law.” Romans 2:11 For God does not show favoritism. Acts 10:34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, Colossians 3:25 Whoever does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. 1 Timothy 5:21 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality. Treasury of Scripture It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. not Proverbs 24:23 These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. Proverbs 28:21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress. Leviticus 19:15 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. to overthrow 1 Kings 21:9-14 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: … Isaiah 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Isaiah 59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Jump to Previous Accept Acceptance Decision Deprive Evil-Doer Face Faces Good Innocent Judgment Justice Overthrow Partial Partiality Respect Righteous Show Thrust Turn Wicked WrongJump to Next Accept Acceptance Decision Deprive Evil-Doer Face Faces Good Innocent Judgment Justice Overthrow Partial Partiality Respect Righteous Show Thrust Turn Wicked WrongProverbs 18 1. A fool delights not in understandingShowing partiality to the wicked is not good This phrase emphasizes the importance of justice and fairness, a recurring theme throughout the Bible. In the ancient Near Eastern context, justice was a foundational principle for maintaining social order. The Hebrew word for "partiality" suggests an unfair bias or favoritism, which is condemned in other scriptures such as Leviticus 19:15 and James 2:1-9. These passages highlight God's desire for impartiality, reflecting His own just nature. The wicked, often described in Proverbs, are those who live in opposition to God's laws, and showing them favoritism undermines the moral fabric of society. This principle is echoed in the teachings of Jesus, who consistently upheld justice and righteousness. nor is depriving the innocent of justice Persons / Places / Events 1. The WickedIn the context of Proverbs, the wicked are those who live in opposition to God's righteous standards. They are often characterized by deceit, injustice, and immorality. 2. The Innocent These are individuals who are blameless or righteous, often suffering unjustly at the hands of the wicked or corrupt systems. 3. Solomon Traditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the king of Israel known for his wisdom. His proverbs often address themes of justice, righteousness, and the fear of the Lord. 4. Ancient Israel The cultural and historical backdrop of Proverbs, where justice was a central theme in the community's covenant relationship with God. 5. Judicial System The verse implicitly references the judicial processes of ancient Israel, where judges were expected to uphold God's laws without partiality. Teaching Points The Importance of ImpartialityGod calls His people to be impartial in their judgments, reflecting His own just nature. Partiality undermines justice and can lead to societal decay. Upholding Justice for the Innocent Protecting the rights of the innocent is a biblical mandate. Believers are called to advocate for those who cannot defend themselves and to ensure that justice prevails. The Consequences of Injustice Injustice not only harms individuals but also disrupts the community's moral fabric. It is crucial to address and rectify injustices to maintain societal harmony. Reflecting God's Character As followers of Christ, believers are to mirror God's character by being just and fair in all dealings, whether in personal relationships or broader societal interactions. The Role of the Church in Justice The church should be a beacon of justice, standing against partiality and advocating for the oppressed, reflecting the kingdom values of righteousness and equity. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Proverbs 18How can Job 18's portrayal of swift divine retribution be reconciled with real-world cases where the wicked seem to escape judgment? Deuteronomy 21:15–17: How does the inheritance rule for a hated wife’s son reconcile with other biblical teachings on fairness and favoritism? Proverbs 18:5: How is it consistent to condemn favoring the wicked when biblical heroes like David or Paul committed serious wrongs yet received mercy? How can Psalm 1's vision of immediate justice be reconciled with biblical accounts like Job, where the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to prosper?Verse 5. - It is not good to accept the person of the wicked. To "accept the person" is to show partiality, to be guided in judgment, not by the facts of a case, or the abstract principles of right or wrong, but by extraneous considerations, as a man's appearance, manners, fortune, family. (For the expression, comp. Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; and in our book, Proverbs 24:23; Proverbs 28:21.) The Septuagint phrase is θαυμάσαι πρόσωπον, which St. Jude adopts (ver. 16). Other writers in the New Testament use λαμβάνειν πρόσωτον in the same sense; e.g. Luke 20:21; Galatians 2:6). To overthrow (turn aside) the righteous in judgment is not good (comp. Isaiah 10:2). The construction is the same as in Proverbs 17:26. The LXX. adds in the second clause, οὐδὲ ὄσιον, which makes the sentence clear; not seeing this, the Vulgate renders, ut declines a veritate judicii. The offence censured is the perversion of justice in giving sentence against a righteous man whose cause the judge has reason to know is just. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Showing partialityשְׂאֵ֣ת (śə·’êṯ) Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take to the wicked רָשָׁ֣ע (rā·šā‘) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person is not לֹא־ (lō-) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no good, ט֑וֹב (ṭō·wḇ) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good nor is depriving לְהַטּ֥וֹת (lə·haṭ·ṭō·wṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend the innocent צַ֝דִּ֗יק (ṣad·dîq) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 6662: Just, righteous of justice. בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃ (bam·miš·pāṭ) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style Links Proverbs 18:5 NIVProverbs 18:5 NLT Proverbs 18:5 ESV Proverbs 18:5 NASB Proverbs 18:5 KJV Proverbs 18:5 BibleApps.com Proverbs 18:5 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 18:5 Chinese Bible Proverbs 18:5 French Bible Proverbs 18:5 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Proverbs 18:5 To be partial to the faces (Prov. 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