Exodus 23:8
Neither shalt thou take bribes, which even blind the wise, and pervert the words of the just.
Open Exodus 23:8 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Nec accipies munera, quæ etiam excæcant prudentes, et subvertunt verba justorum.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ δῶρα οὐ λήμψῃ· τὰ γὰρ δῶρα ἐκτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς βλεπόντων καὶ λυμαίνεται ῥήματα δίκαια.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וְשֹׁ֖חַד לֹ֣א תִקָּ֑ח כִּ֤י הַשֹּׁ֨חַד֙ יְעַוֵּ֣ר פִּקְחִ֔ים וִֽיסַלֵּ֖ף דִּבְרֵ֥י צַדִּיקִֽים
Haydock's commentary
Bribes, which naturally induce the receiver to shew favour, and therefore cannot be too carefully avoided. The Athenians put to death those who bribed the judges, and required the latter to restore ten-fold. (Calmet)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
The Apostolic Constitutions Book II. Of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, Sec. III. How the Bishop is to Treat the Innocent, the Guilty, and the Penitent
IX . For the bishop must not only himself give no offence, but must be no respecter of persons; in meekness instructing those that offend. But if he himself has not a good conscience, and is a respecter of persons for the sake of filthy lucre, and receiving of bribes, and spares the open offender, and permits him to continue in the Church, he disregards the voice of God and of our Lord, which says, “Thou shalt exactly execute right judgment.” “Thou shalt not accept persons in judgment: thou shalt not justify the ungodly.” “Thou shalt not receive gifts against any one’s life; for gifts do blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.” And elsewhere He says: “Take away from among yourselves that wicked person.” And Solomon says in his Proverbs: “Cast out a pestilent fellow from the congregation, and strife will go out along with him.”
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 Chrysostom A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, Homily XXIX on Acts xiii. 16, 17
This too might with reason be said to us: “Behold ye despisers.” For the Church indeed is in very evil case, although ye think her affairs to be in peace. For the mischief of it is, that while we labor under so many evils, we do not even know that we have any. “What sayest thou? We are in possession of our Churches, our Church property, and all the rest, the services are held, the congregation comes to Church every day.” True, but one is not to judge of the state of a Church from these things. From what then? Whether there be piety, whether we return home with profit each day, whether reaping some fruit, be it much or little, whether we do it not merely of routine and for the formal acquittance of a duty ( ἀφοσιούμενοι ). …