Lawsuits

Lawsuits: A lawsuit is a dispute brought before a court. The Bible addresses believers going to law against one another, settling with an adversary, and resolving disputes within the church.

Lawsuits among believers

• 1 Corinthians 6:1-8
  ¹Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?If any of you has a grievance against another, how dare he go to law before the unrighteous instead of before the saints! ²Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? ³Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! ⁴If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.So if you need to settle everyday matters, do you appoint as judges those of no standing in the church? ⁵I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?I say this to your shame. Is there really no one among you wise enough to arbitrate between his brothers? ⁶But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.Instead, one brother goes to law against another, and this in front of unbelievers! ⁷Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, even against your own brothers!
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Agree with thine adversary

• Matthew 5:25-26
  ²⁵Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
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• Luke 12:58
  When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.
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• Matthew 5:40
  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well;
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Resolving disputes

• Matthew 18:15-17
  ¹⁵Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ¹⁶But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ¹⁷And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
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• Philippians 4:2-3
  ²I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.I urge Euodia and Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. ³And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.Yes, and I ask you, my true yokefellow, to help these women who have labored with me for the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
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• Romans 12:18
  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.
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Slow to strife

• Proverbs 25:8-10
  ⁸Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame? ⁹Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence, ¹⁰Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away.
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• Proverbs 17:14
  The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.To start a quarrel is to release a flood; so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.
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• Proverbs 18:17
  He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
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• Proverbs 20:3
  It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel.
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Righteous judgment

• Deuteronomy 1:16-17
  ¹⁶And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.At that time I charged your judges: “Hear the disputes between your brothers, and judge fairly between a man and his brother or a foreign resident. ¹⁷Ye 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 no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”
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• Exodus 23:2-3
  ²Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd. ³Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.
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• 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.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.
  Show context · Read Leviticus 19 →

See also

• Justice
• Forgiveness
• Peace
• Church
• Revenge

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.