Isaiah 5:23
New International Version
who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.

New Living Translation
They take bribes to let the wicked go free, and they punish the innocent.

English Standard Version
who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right!

Berean Standard Bible
who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

King James Bible
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

New King James Version
Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away justice from the righteous man!

New American Standard Bible
Who declare the wicked innocent for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!

NASB 1995
Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!

NASB 1977
Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!

Legacy Standard Bible
Who declare the wicked righteous for a bribe, And remove the righteous standing of the ones who are righteous!

Amplified Bible
Who justify the wicked and acquit the guilty for a bribe, And take away the rights of those who are in the right!

Christian Standard Bible
who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

American Standard Version
that justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Contemporary English Version
You accept bribes to let the guilty go free, and you cheat the innocent out of a fair trial.

English Revised Version
which justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
who declare the guilty innocent for a bribe, who take away the rights of righteous people.

Good News Translation
But for just a bribe you let the guilty go free, and you keep the innocent from getting justice.

International Standard Version
who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of justice!"

Majority Standard Bible
who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice.

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

New Heart English Bible
who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice for the innocent.

Webster's Bible Translation
Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

World English Bible
who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice for the innocent!
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Declaring righteous the wicked for a bribe, "" And the righteousness of the righteous "" They turn aside from him.

Young's Literal Translation
Declaring righteous the wicked for a bribe, And the righteousness of the righteous They turn aside from him.

Smith's Literal Translation
Justifying the unjust on account of a gift, and they will take away the justice of the just from him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
That justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the justice of the just from him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For you justify an impious man in exchange for bribes, and you carry away the justice of a just man from him.

New American Bible
Those who acquit the guilty for bribes, and deprive the innocent of justice!

New Revised Standard Version
who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of their rights!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Who justify the guilty because of his bribe, and take away justice from the righteous!

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they justify the guilty because of his bribe, and the innocence of the innocent they take away from them
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
That justify the wicked for a reward, And take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
who justify the ungodly for rewards, and take away the righteousness of the righteous.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woes to the Wicked
22Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and champions in mixing strong drink, 23who acquit the guilty for a bribe and deprive the innocent of justice. 24Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.…

Cross References
Proverbs 17:15
Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.

Exodus 23:7-8
Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent or the just, for I will not acquit the guilty. / Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.

Micah 3:9-11
Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right, / who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity. / Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”

Proverbs 24:24
Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;

Amos 5:12
For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate.

Habakkuk 1:4
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

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.

Psalm 94:20-21
Can a corrupt throne be Your ally—one devising mischief by decree? / They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Malachi 2:17
You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” By saying, “All who do evil are good in the sight of the LORD, and in them He delights,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”

Matthew 23:23
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Luke 11:42
Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

Romans 1:32
Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

James 2:6
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

1 Corinthians 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.


Treasury of Scripture

Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

justify

Exodus 23:6-9
Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause…

Proverbs 17:15
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

Proverbs 24:24
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him:

for reward

Isaiah 1:23
Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

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.

2 Chronicles 19:7
Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

take

Isaiah 10:2
To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

1 Kings 21:13
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

Psalm 94:21
They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

Jump to Previous
Acquit Bribe Cause Declaring Deny Deprive Guilty Innocent Justice Justify Ones Reward Right Righteous Righteousness Rights Sinner Support Turn Upright Wicked
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Acquit Bribe Cause Declaring Deny Deprive Guilty Innocent Justice Justify Ones Reward Right Righteous Righteousness Rights Sinner Support Turn Upright Wicked
Isaiah 5
1. Under the parable of a vineyard, God excuses his severe judgment
8. His judgments upon covetousness
11. Upon lasciviousness
13. Upon impiety
20. And upon injustice
26. The executioners of God's judgments














who acquit the guilty
This phrase highlights a grave injustice where those who are guilty are declared innocent. The Hebrew word for "acquit" is "צָדַק" (tsadaq), which means to declare righteous or justify. In the context of ancient Israel, this would have been a direct violation of God's law, which demands justice and righteousness. The acquittal of the guilty for personal gain reflects a deep moral corruption and a departure from divine standards. Historically, this mirrors the societal decay that prophets like Isaiah were called to address, where leaders and judges were swayed by personal gain rather than truth and justice.

for a bribe
The Hebrew word for "bribe" is "שֹׁחַד" (shochad), which refers to a gift or payment given to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of power. Bribery is condemned throughout the Bible as it perverts justice and undermines the integrity of those who are supposed to uphold the law. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, bribery was a common practice, yet it was strictly forbidden in Israelite law (Exodus 23:8, Deuteronomy 16:19). This phrase underscores the moral decay and the failure of leadership in Isaiah's time, serving as a warning against the corruption that can infiltrate even the most sacred institutions.

and deprive the innocent of justice
The Hebrew word for "deprive" is "סוּר" (sur), meaning to turn aside or remove. This phrase indicates an active effort to deny justice to those who are innocent. The "innocent" (Hebrew: "צַדִּיק" - tzaddiq) refers to those who are righteous or just, who live according to God's laws. The denial of justice to the innocent is a profound violation of God's covenant with Israel, which emphasized justice, mercy, and righteousness. In the broader biblical narrative, this reflects the recurring theme of God's concern for the oppressed and His call for His people to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). This phrase serves as a powerful reminder of the divine mandate to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice in all areas of life.

Verse 23. - Justify the wicked; i.e. "decide his cause in his favor," declare him to be right, and his adversary wrong. For reward; or, for a bribe. Take away the righteousness of the righteous; i.e. "declare him to be in the wrong by deciding his cause against him."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
who acquit
מַצְדִּיקֵ֥י (maṣ·dî·qê)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6663: To be just or righteous

the guilty
רָשָׁ֖ע (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

for
עֵ֣קֶב (‘ê·qeḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6118: A heel, the last of anything, result, compensation, on account of

a bribe,
שֹׁ֑חַד (šō·ḥaḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7810: A present, bribe

and deprive
יָסִ֥ירוּ (yā·sî·rū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

the innocent
צַדִּיקִ֖ים (ṣad·dî·qîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

of justice.
וְצִדְקַ֥ת (wə·ṣiḏ·qaṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6666: Rightness, subjectively, objectively


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 5:23 Who acquit the guilty for a bribe (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 5:22
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