Exodus 23:7
Thou shalt fly lying. The innocent and just person thou shalt not put to death: because I abhor the wicked.
Open Exodus 23:7 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Mendacium fugies. Insontem et justum non occides : quia aversor impium.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥήματος ἀδίκου ἀποστήσῃ· ἀθῷον καὶ δίκαιον οὐκ ἀποκτενεῖς, καὶ οὐ δικαιώσεις τὸν ἀσεβῆ ἕνεκεν δώρων.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- מִדְּבַר שֶׁ֖קֶר תִּרְחָ֑ק וְנָקִ֤י וְצַדִּיק֙ אַֽל תַּהֲרֹ֔ג כִּ֥י לֹא אַצְדִּ֖יק רָשָֽׁע
The Fathers on this verse
St Cyprian Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, That He is the righteous One whom the Jews should put to death
In the Wisdom of Solomon: “Let us lay hold of the righteous, because He is disagreeable to us, and is contrary to our works, and reproacheth us with our transgressions of the law. He professeth that He has the knowledge of God, and calls Himself the Son of God; He has become to us an exposure of our thoughts; He is grievous unto us even to look upon, because His life is unlike to others, and His ways are changed. We are esteemed by Him as frivolous, and He restraineth Himself from our ways, as if from uncleanness; and He extols the last end of the righteous, and boasts that He has God for His Father. Let us see, then, if His words are true, and let us try what will come to Him. Let us interrogate Him with reproach and torture, that we may know His reverence and prove His patience. Let us condemn Him with a most shameful death. These things they considered, and erred. …
The Apostolic Constitutions Book II. Of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, Sec. V. On Accusations, and the Treatment of Accusers
XLII . But if the slanderous accusation be false, and you that are the pastors, with the deacons, admit of that falsehood for truth, either by acceptance of persons or receiving of bribes, as willing to do that which will he pleasing to the devil, and so you thrust out from the Church him that is accused, but is clear of the crime, you shall give an account in the day of the Lord. For it is written: “The innocent and the righteous thou shalt not slay.” “Thou shalt not take gifts to smite the soul: for gifts blind the eyes of the wise, and destroy the words of the righteous.” And again: “They that justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him.” Be careful, therefore, not to condemn any persons unjustly, and so to assist the wicked. …
St John Cassian The Conferences of John Cassian. Part II. Containing Conferences XI-XVII, Chapter XIX. The answer, that leave to lie, which was not even granted under the old Covenant, has rightly been taken by many
Joseph : All liberty in the matter of wives and many concubines, as the end of time is approaching and the multiplying of the human race completed, ought rightly to be cut off by evangelical perfection, as being no longer necessary. For up to the coming of Christ it was well that the blessing of the original sentence should be in full vigour, whereby it was said: “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.” And therefore it was quite right that from the root of human fecundity which happily flourished in the synagogue, in accordance with that dispensation of the times, the buds of angelical virginity should spring, and the fragrant flowers of continence be produced in the Church. …