Exodus 23:3
New International Version
and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

New Living Translation
And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.

English Standard Version
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit.

Berean Standard Bible
And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.

King James Bible
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

New King James Version
You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute.

New American Standard Bible
nor shall you show favor to a poor person in his dispute.

NASB 1995
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.

NASB 1977
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.

Legacy Standard Bible
nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his case.

Amplified Bible
nor shall you favor or be partial to a poor man in his dispute [simply because he is poor].

Christian Standard Bible
Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.”

American Standard Version
neither shalt thou favor a poor man in his cause.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And you shall not favor the poor in his judgment.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt not spare a poor man in judgment.

Contemporary English Version
And don't favor the poor, simply because they are poor.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither shalt thou favour a poor man in judgment.

English Revised Version
neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Never give special favors to poor people in court.

Good News Translation
Do not show partiality to a poor person at his trial.

International Standard Version
You are not to show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit.

JPS Tanakh 1917
neither shalt thou favour a poor man in his cause.

Literal Standard Version
and you do not honor a poor man in his strife.

Majority Standard Bible
And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.

New American Bible
You shall not favor the poor in a lawsuit.

NET Bible
and you must not show partiality to a poor man in his lawsuit.

New Revised Standard Version
nor shall you be partial to the poor in a lawsuit.

New Heart English Bible
neither shall you favor a poor man in his cause.

Webster's Bible Translation
Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

World English Bible
You shall not favor a poor man in his cause.

Young's Literal Translation
and a poor man thou dost not honour in his strife.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Justice and Mercy
2You shall not follow the crowd in wrongdoing. When you testify in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd. 3And do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit. 4If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.…

Cross References
Exodus 23:6
You shall not deny justice to the poor in their lawsuits.

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 1:17
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."

Deuteronomy 16:19
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.


Treasury of Scripture

Neither shall you countenance a poor man in his cause.

Psalm 82:2,3
How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah…

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.

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Cause Countenance Dispute Favor Favoritism Favour Hand Honour Lawsuit Order Partial Poor Right Show Strife Suit Support Turned
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Cause Countenance Dispute Favor Favoritism Favour Hand Honour Lawsuit Order Partial Poor Right Show Strife Suit Support Turned
Exodus 23
1. Of slander, false witness, and partiality
4. Of charitableness
6. Of justice in judgment
8. Of taking bribes
9. Of oppressing a stranger
10. Of the year of rest
12. Of the Sabbath
13. Of idolatry
14. Of the three feasts
18. Of the blood and the fat of the sacrifice
20. An angel is promised, with a blessing, if they obey him














(3) Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.--We must not "pervert judgment" either in favour of the rich or of the poor. Justice must hold her scales even, and be proof equally against a paltry fear of the rich and a weak compassion for the indigent. The cause alone is to be considered, not the persons. (Comp. Leviticus 19:15.)

Verse 3. - Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. After the many precepts in favour of the poor, this injunction produces a sort of shock. But it is to be understood as simply forbidding any undue favouring of the poor because they are poor, and so as equivalent to the precept in Leviticus 19:15, "Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor." In courts of justice, strict justice is to be rendered, without any leaning either towards the rich, or towards the poor. To lean either way is to pervert judgment.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And do not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

show favoritism
תֶהְדַּ֖ר (ṯeh·dar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1921: To swell up, to favor, honour, be high, proud

to a poor man
וְדָ֕ל (wə·ḏāl)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1800: Dangling, weak, thin

in his lawsuit.
בְּרִיבֽוֹ׃ (bə·rî·ḇōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7379: Strife, dispute


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OT Law: Exodus 23:3 Neither shall you favor a poor man (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 23:2
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