Which other scriptures emphasize justice and fairness like Proverbs 17:26? Starting Point: Proverbs 17:26 “It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.” Justice in the Torah • Exodus 23:7 — “Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not acquit the guilty.” • 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.” • Deuteronomy 16:19-20 — “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. Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and possess the land the LORD your God is giving you.” Wisdom’s Continuing Call • Proverbs 21:3 — “To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.” • Proverbs 31:8-9 — “Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the justice of all the dispossessed. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.” • Psalm 82:3-4 — “Defend the cause of the poor and fatherless; uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; save them from the hand of the wicked.” Prophetic Voices for Fairness • Isaiah 1:17 — “Learn to do right; seek justice, correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the widow’s case.” • Isaiah 10:1-2 — “Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the needy of justice and rob the poor of My people of their rights…” • Jeremiah 22:3 — “This is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do not wrong or do violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.’” • Micah 6:8 — “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” • Zechariah 7:9-10 — “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Administer true justice, show loving devotion and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor; and do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’” New Testament Reinforcement • Matthew 23:23 — “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness…” • James 2:8-9 — “If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors.” • Romans 13:3-4 — “For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. … He is God’s servant, an agent of justice to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” Key Takeaways • From Genesis to Revelation, God insists on protecting the innocent, judging impartially, and correcting oppression. • Justice is never optional or secondary; it sits at the heart of faithful obedience. • Each passage not only echoes Proverbs 17:26 but expands it—calling God’s people to champion fairness in personal relationships, community life, and governing authority. |
    |