Deuteronomy 25:1

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

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.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 17:15 : 15 The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent– both of them are an abomination to the LORD.
  • Deut 17:8-9 : 8 Appeal to a Higher Court If a matter is too difficult for you to judge– bloodshed, legal claim, or assault– matters of controversy in your villages– you must leave there and go up to the place the LORD your God chooses. 9 You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict.
  • Deut 19:17-19 : 17 then both parties to the controversy must stand before the LORD, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days. 18 The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused, 19 you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you.
  • 2 Sam 23:3 : 3 The God of Israel spoke, the protector of Israel spoke to me. The one who rules fairly among men, the one who rules in the fear of God,
  • 2 Chr 19:6-9 : 6 He told the judges,“Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the LORD, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions. 7 Respect the LORD and make careful decisions, for the LORD our God disapproves of injustice, partiality, and bribery.” 8 In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the LORD and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem. 9 He commanded them:“Carry out your duties with respect for the LORD, with honesty, and with pure motives. 10 Whenever your countrymen who live in the cities bring a case before you(whether it involves a violent crime or other matters related to the law, commandments, rules, and regulations), warn them that they must not sin against the LORD. If you fail to do so, God will be angry with you and your colleagues, but if you obey, you will be free of guilt.
  • Job 29:7-9 : 7 When I went out to the city gate and secured my seat in the public square, 8 the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing; 9 the chief men refrained from talking and covered their mouths with their hands; 10 the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. 11 Job’s Benevolence“As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me, and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me, 12 for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him; 13 the blessing of the dying man descended on me, and I made the widow’s heart rejoice; 14 I put on righteousness and it clothed me, my just dealing was like a robe and a turban; 15 I was eyes for the blind and feet for the lame; 16 I was a father to the needy, and I investigated the case of the person I did not know; 17 I broke the fangs of the wicked, and made him drop his prey from his teeth.
  • Ps 58:1-2 : 1 For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David. Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly? 2 No! You plan how to do what is unjust; you deal out violence in the earth.
  • Ps 82:2-4 : 2 He says,“How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked?(Selah) 3 Defend the cause of the poor and the fatherless! Vindicate the oppressed and suffering! 4 Rescue the poor and needy! Deliver them from the power of the wicked!
  • Exod 23:6-7 : 6 “You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Keep your distance from a false charge– do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked.
  • Deut 1:16-17 : 16 I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens and judge fairly, whether between one person and a native Israelite or a resident foreigner. 17 They must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.
  • Deut 16:18-20 : 18 Provision for Justice You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the LORD your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly. 19 You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort the words of the righteous. 20 You must pursue justice alone so that you may live and inherit the land the LORD your God is giving you.
  • Prov 31:8-9 : 8 Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying. 9 Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
  • Isa 1:17 : 17 Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
  • Isa 1:23 : 23 Your officials are rebels, they associate with thieves. All of them love bribery, and look for payoffs. They do not take up the cause of the orphan, or defend the rights of the widow.
  • Isa 5:23 : 23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff, they ignore the just cause of the innocent.
  • Isa 11:4 : 4 He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed.
  • Isa 32:1-2 : 1 Justice and Wisdom Will Prevail Look, a king will promote fairness; officials will promote justice. 2 Each of them will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from a rainstorm; like streams of water in a dry region and like the shade of a large cliff in a parched land.
  • Jer 21:12 : 12 O royal family descended from David. The LORD says:‘See to it that people each day are judged fairly. Deliver those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Otherwise, my wrath will blaze out against you. It will burn like a fire that cannot be put out because of the evil that you have done.
  • Ezek 44:24 : 24 “‘In a controversy they will act as judges; they will judge according to my ordinances. They will keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals and will observe my Sabbaths.
  • Mic 3:1-2 : 1 God Will Judge Judah’s Sinful Leaders I said,“Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You ought to know what is just, 2 yet you hate what is good, and love what is evil. You flay my people’s skin and rip the flesh from their bones.
  • Hab 1:4 : 4 For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.
  • Hab 1:13 : 13 You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are?
  • Mal 3:18 : 18 Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.
  • Matt 3:10 : 10 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Deut 25:2
    81%

    2Then, if the guilty person is sentenced to a beating, the judge shall force him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of blows his wicked behavior deserves.

  • Deut 19:16-18
    3 verses
    80%

    16If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime,

    17then both parties to the controversy must stand before the LORD, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days.

    18The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused,

  • 1 Kgs 8:32
    76%

    32Listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.

  • Ezek 18:5
    76%

    5“Suppose a man is righteous. He practices what is just and right,

  • 2 Chr 6:23
    76%

    23listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.

  • Deut 17:8-9
    2 verses
    75%

    8Appeal to a Higher Court If a matter is too difficult for you to judge– bloodshed, legal claim, or assault– matters of controversy in your villages– you must leave there and go up to the place the LORD your God chooses.

    9You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict.

  • Prov 17:15
    75%

    15The one who acquits the guilty and the one who condemns the innocent– both of them are an abomination to the LORD.

  • 2 Chr 19:6
    74%

    6He told the judges,“Be careful what you do, for you are not judging for men, but for the LORD, who will be with you when you make judicial decisions.

  • Exod 21:1
    74%

    1The Decisions“These are the decisions that you will set before them:

  • Hab 1:4
    74%

    4For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.

  • Jer 7:5
    74%

    5You must change the way you have been living and do what is right. You must treat one another fairly.

  • Deut 16:18
    74%

    18Provision for Justice You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the LORD your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly.

  • Isa 5:23
    74%

    23They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff, they ignore the just cause of the innocent.

  • Job 34:17
    74%

    17Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern? And will you declare guilty the supremely Righteous One,

  • Exod 23:6-7
    2 verses
    73%

    6“You must not turn away justice for your poor people in their lawsuits.

    7Keep your distance from a false charge– do not kill the innocent and the righteous, for I will not justify the wicked.

  • Deut 1:16-17
    2 verses
    73%

    16I furthermore admonished your judges at that time that they should pay attention to issues among your fellow citizens and judge fairly, whether between one person and a native Israelite or a resident foreigner.

    17They must not discriminate in judgment, but hear the lowly and the great alike. Nor should they be intimidated by human beings, for judgment belongs to God. If the matter being adjudicated is too difficult for them, they should bring it before me for a hearing.

  • Prov 31:9
    73%

    9Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

  • Prov 24:23-24
    2 verses
    73%

    23Further Sayings of the Wise These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible:

    24The one who says to the guilty,“You are innocent,” peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him.

  • 1 Cor 6:1
    73%

    1Lawsuits When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints?

  • Exod 22:8-9
    2 verses
    73%

    8If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

    9In all cases of illegal possessions, whether for an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any kind of lost item, about which someone says‘This belongs to me,’ the matter of the two of them will come before the judges, and the one whom the judges declare guilty must repay double to his neighbor.

  • Jer 5:28
    73%

    28That is how they have grown fat and sleek. There is no limit to the evil things they do. They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it. They do not defend the rights of the poor.

  • Ps 7:8
    72%

    8The LORD judges the nations. Vindicate me, LORD, because I am innocent, because I am blameless, O Exalted One!

  • Job 23:7
    72%

    7There an upright person could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge.

  • Ps 58:1
    72%

    1For the music director; according to the al-tashcheth style; a prayer of David. Do you rulers really pronounce just decisions? Do you judge people fairly?

  • Lev 19:15
    72%

    15Justice, Love, and Propriety“‘You must not deal unjustly in judgment: you must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. You must judge your fellow citizen fairly.

  • Ps 9:8
    72%

    8He judges the world fairly; he makes just legal decisions for the nations.

  • Jer 12:1
    72%

    1LORD, you have always been fair whenever I have complained to you. However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. Why are wicked people successful? Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives?

  • Ps 58:11
    72%

    11Then observers will say,“Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded! Yes indeed, there is a God who judges in the earth!”

  • Prov 18:5
    72%

    5It is terrible to show partiality to the wicked, by depriving a righteous man of justice.

  • Isa 3:13
    72%

    13The LORD takes his position to judge; he stands up to pass sentence on his people.

  • Ps 72:2
    72%

    2Then he will judge your people fairly, and your oppressed ones equitably.

  • 1 Cor 6:4-5
    2 verses
    72%

    4So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church?

    5I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians?

  • Exod 18:16
    72%

    16When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.”

  • Prov 28:4
    71%

    4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law contend with them.

  • Jer 22:16
    71%

    16He upheld the cause of the poor and needy. So things went well for Judah.’ The LORD says,‘That is a good example of what it means to know me.’

  • Ps 94:15
    71%

    15For justice will prevail, and all the morally upright will be vindicated.

  • Prov 21:15
    71%

    15Doing justice brings joy to the righteous and terror to those who do evil.

  • Num 35:24
    71%

    24then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions.

  • Gen 18:25
    71%

    25Far be it from you to do such a thing– to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”

  • Eccl 3:16
    71%

    16The Problem of Injustice and Oppression I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

  • Ezek 23:45
    71%

    45But upright men will punish them appropriately for their adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.

  • Ps 17:2
    71%

    2Make a just decision on my behalf! Decide what is right!