²⁶ He hoped withal that money would be given him of Paul: wherefore also he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

⁸ And thou shalt take no bribe: for a bribe blindeth them that have sight, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

³¹ And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their gain.

¹⁸ Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

⁷ `He is' a trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.

⁸ And Ephraim said, Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth: in all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin.

⁶ Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes-

⁷ they that pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father go unto the `same' maiden, to profane my holy name:

¹¹ The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us.

³ Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge `is ready' for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together.

² And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy much peace, and that by the providence evils are corrected for this nation,

³ we accept it in all ways and in all places, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.

¹⁷ Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings:

⁹ Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men,

⁵ For this ye know of a surety, that no fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience.

⁹ But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition.

¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

³ And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.

²⁷ Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, `and' to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.

¹¹ Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.

¹⁹ Thou shalt not wrest justice: thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a bribe; for a bribe doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

³ And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.

³ Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

⁷ Now therefore let the fear of Jehovah be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with Jehovah our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.

³⁴ For the company of the godless shall be barren, And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.

⁹ Gather not my soul with sinners, Nor my life with men of blood;

¹⁰ In whose hands is wickedness, And their right hand is full of bribes.

⁸ A bribe is `as' a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

²³ A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.

⁶ Many will entreat the favor of the liberal man; And every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.

⁴ The king by justice establisheth the land; But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

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

¹⁵ He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from taking a bribe, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from looking upon evil:

¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing;

¹⁵ forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the `son' of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing;