Justice

Justice is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. This page lists verses on God's love of justice, commands to do justice, impartial judgment, defending the poor, and Jesus' words.

God loves justice

• Psalm 89:14
  Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
  Show context · Read Psalm 89 →
• Psalm 33:5
  He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
  Show context · Read Psalm 33 →
• Isaiah 61:8
  For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
  Show context · Read Isaiah 61 →
• Deuteronomy 32:4
  He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
  Show context · Read Deuteronomy 32 →

Commands to do justice

• Micah 6:8
  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
  Show context · Read Micah 6 →
• Isaiah 1:17
  Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
  Show context · Read Isaiah 1 →
• Amos 5:24
  But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
  Show context · Read Amos 5 →
• Proverbs 21:3
  To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 21 →
• Zechariah 7:9-10
  ⁹Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: ¹⁰And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
  Show context · Read Zechariah 7 →

Impartial judgment

• 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.
  Show context · Read Leviticus 19 →
• Deuteronomy 16:19-20
  ¹⁹Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. ²⁰That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
  Show context · Read Deuteronomy 16 →
• Deuteronomy 1:17
  Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
  Show context · Read Deuteronomy 1 →
• Exodus 23:6
  Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
  Show context · Read Exodus 23 →

Defending the poor

• Proverbs 31:8-9
  ⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. ⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 31 →
• Psalm 82:3-4
  ³Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. ⁴Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
  Show context · Read Psalm 82 →
• Jeremiah 22:3
  Thus saith the Lord; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.
  Show context · Read Jeremiah 22 →
• Proverbs 29:7
  The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 29 →

Jesus' words

• Matthew 23:23
  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
  Show context · Read Matthew 23 →
• Luke 11:42
  But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
  Show context · Read Luke 11 →

See also

• Poverty
• Government
• Widows and orphans
• Judgment

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.