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Complete Jewish Bible

Proverbs 28:21

To show partiality is not good, though a person may do wrong for a crust of bread.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bribery;   Justice;   Respect of Persons;   The Topic Concordance - Favoritism;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Respect of Persons;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Greek Versions of Ot;   Proverbs, Book of;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Face;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Face;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
It is not good to show partiality—yet even a courageous person may sin for a piece of bread.
Hebrew Names Version
To show partiality is not good; Yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
King James Version
To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
English Standard Version
To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
New American Standard Bible
To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
New Century Version
It is not good for a judge to take sides, but some will sin for only a piece of bread.
Amplified Bible
To have regard for one person over another and to show favoritism is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
World English Bible
To show partiality is not good; Yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
Geneva Bible (1587)
To haue respect of persons is not good: for that man will transgresse for a piece of bread.
Legacy Standard Bible
To show partiality is not good,Even for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
Berean Standard Bible
To show partiality is not good, because a man may sin for a piece of bread.
Contemporary English Version
It isn't right to be unfair, but some people can be bribed with only a piece of bread.
Darby Translation
To have respect of persons is not good; but for a piece of bread will a man transgress.
Easy-to-Read Version
It is wrong for a judge to support someone simply because he knows them. But some judges will change their decisions for the price of a loaf of bread.
George Lamsa Translation
A man who shows partiality is not good; for a piece of bread a man will become a traitor.
Good News Translation
Prejudice is wrong. But some judges will do wrong to get even the smallest bribe.
Lexham English Bible
Showing partiality is not good, and over a morsel of bread, a strong man will do wrong.
Literal Translation
To respect faces is not good, yea, for a man will transgress for a piece of bread.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
To haue respecte of personnes in iudgment is not good: And why? he will do wronge, yee euen for a pece of bred.
American Standard Version
To have respect of persons is not good; Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.
Bible in Basic English
It is not good to have respect for a man's position: for a man will do wrong for a bit of bread.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
To have respect of persons is not good; for a man will transgress for a piece of bread.
King James Version (1611)
To haue respect of persons, is not good: for, for a piece of bread that man will transgresse.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
To haue respect of persons [in iudgement] is not good, for that man wyll do wrong, yea euen for a peece of bread.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
A hearth for coals, and wood for fire; and railing man for the tumult of strife.
English Revised Version
To have respect of persons is not good: neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He that knowith a face in doom, doith not wel; this man forsakith treuthe, yhe, for a mussel of breed.
Update Bible Version
To have respect of persons is not good; Neither that a [noble] man should transgress for a piece of bread.
Webster's Bible Translation
To have respect of persons [is] not good: for, for a piece of bread [that] man will transgress.
New English Translation
To show partiality is terrible, for a person will transgress over the smallest piece of bread.
New King James Version
To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
New Living Translation
Showing partiality is never good, yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.
New Life Bible
To show favor is not good, because a man will sin for a piece of bread.
New Revised Standard
To show partiality is not good— yet for a piece of bread a person may do wrong.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
To take note of faces in judgment , is not good, and, for a bit of bread, a man will transgress.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He that hath respect to a person in judgment, doth not well: such a man even for a morsel of bread forsaketh the truth.
Revised Standard Version
To show partiality is not good; but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
Young's Literal Translation
To discern faces is not good, And for a piece of bread doth a man transgress.
THE MESSAGE
Playing favorites is always a bad thing; you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

Contextual Overview

21 To show partiality is not good, though a person may do wrong for a crust of bread.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

respect: Proverbs 18:5, Proverbs 24:23, Exodus 23:2, Exodus 23:8

for: Erasmus observes that this expression probably originated from the circumstance of holding out a piece of bread to a dog, in order to soothe him. Ezekiel 13:19, Hosea 4:18, Micah 3:5, Micah 7:3, Romans 16:18, 2 Peter 2:3

Reciprocal: Judges 18:4 - hired me Isaiah 29:21 - and turn Amos 2:7 - pant Mark 14:11 - and promised James 2:1 - with

Cross-References

Exodus 15:2
Yah is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God: I will glorify him; my father's God: I will exalt him.
Deuteronomy 26:17
You are agreeing today that Adonai is your God and that you will follow his ways; observe his laws, mitzvot and rulings; and do what he says.
Judges 11:31
then whatever comes out the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the people of ‘Amon will belong to Adonai ; I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."
2 Samuel 15:8
Your servant made a vow while I was staying at G'shur in Aram to the effect that if Adonai would bring me back to Yerushalayim, then I would serve Adonai ."
2 Samuel 19:24
Then the king said to Shim‘i, "You will not be put to death," and the king swore it to him.
2 Samuel 19:30
The king said to him, "Why speak any more about these matters of yours? I say: you and Tziva, divide the land."
2 Kings 5:17
So Na‘aman said, "If you won't take it, then please let your servant be given as much earth as two mules can carry; because from now on, your servant will offer neither burnt offerings nor sacrifices to other gods, but only to Adonai .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

To have respect of persons [is] not good, c, In courts of judicature, to give a cause or pass sentence in favour of a person, because he is rich, or is a relation, a friend, an acquaintance, or has done a kindness and against another, because of the reverse, Leviticus 19:15; nor in religious assemblies, making a difference between the rich and the poor, James 2:1; this is not good in itself, nor productive of good effects, and cannot be well pleasing to God, who himself is no respecter of persons;

for for a piece of bread [that] man will transgress; the laws of God and men; having used himself to such unrighteous methods of proceeding, he will do any base action for a small gain, he will stick at nothing, and do it for anything; as Cato used to say of M. Coelius the tribune,

"that he might be hired, for a morsel of bread, to speak or hold his peace;''

see Ezekiel 13:19.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Dishonest partiality leads men who have enslaved themselves to it to transgress, even when the inducement is altogether disproportionate. A “piece of bread” was proverbial at all times as the most extreme point of poverty (compare the marginal reference).


 
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