Partiality

Partiality is favoritism, treating people unequally because of wealth, status or appearance. God is no respecter of persons, and believers and judges are forbidden to show respect of persons.

God shows no partiality

• Deuteronomy 10:17
  For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
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• Acts 10:34-35
  ³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, ³⁵But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
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• Romans 2:11
  For there is no respect of persons with God.For God does not show favoritism.
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• 1 Peter 1:17
  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.
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Forbidden among believers

• James 2:1-9
  ¹My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism. ²For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. ³And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,” ⁴Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? ⁶But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? ⁷Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called? ⁸If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. ⁹But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
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• 1 Timothy 5:21
  I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.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.
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• James 3:17
  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
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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.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.
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• 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 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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• Deuteronomy 16:19
  Thou 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.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.
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• Proverbs 24:23
  These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
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• Proverbs 28:21
  To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
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All one in Christ

• Galatians 3:28
  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
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• Colossians 3:11
  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.
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• Ephesians 6:9
  And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.And masters, do the same for your slaves. Give up your use of threats, because you know that He who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with Him.
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Favoritism in families

• Genesis 25:28
  And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.Because Isaac had a taste for wild game, he loved Esau; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
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• Genesis 37:3-4
  ³Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors. ⁴And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
  Show context · Read Genesis 37 →

See also

• Justice
• Racism
• Bribery
• Judging others
• Poverty

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.