And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your providence,

we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

And you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and perverts the words of the righteous.

You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

Look at me. Witness against me before Jehovah and before His anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.

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

For the company of hypocrites shall be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

Do not take away my soul with sinners, nor my life with men of blood,

in whose hands is an evil plot, and their right hand is full of bribes.

A bribe is like a precious stone in the eyes of him who has it; wherever he turns, he prospers.

A wicked man accepts a bribe out of the bosom to pervert the ways of justice.

Many entreat the favor of the nobility, and everyone is friends with him who gives gifts.

The king establishes the land by justice; but he who receives bribes tears it down.

Your rulers are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe, and pursues rewards. They do not judge for the orphan, nor does the cause of the widow come before them.

He who walks righteously and speaks with equity; he who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands free from holding bribes, who stops his ear from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil;

Yea, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, to his own end.

Her rulers in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy souls, and to get dishonest gain.

So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they act out love, but their hearts go after their unjust gain.

Their drink is rebellion. They are continually committing fornication. Her defenders dearly love disgrace.

He is a merchant; the scales of deceit are in his hand; he loves to oppress.

And Ephraim said, I am rich; I have found much wealth for myself. In all my labors they shall find no iniquity in me that is sin.

Thus says Jehovah: For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn back from punishing it, for they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals.

They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the helpless, and thrust aside the way of the afflicted. And a man and his father go in to the same girl, in order to profane My holy name.

Her heads judge for a bribe, and her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for money; yet they lean on Jehovah, saying, Is not Jehovah among us? No evil can come upon us.

Both hands are on evil, to do it well. Both the ruler and the judge ask for a bribe. And the great one speaks the lust of his soul; and they weave it together.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be led astray. Neither prostitutes, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor sodomites,

For this you know, that no prostitute, unclean person, nor covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Let no one beguile you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

But those who purpose to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which plunge people into ruin and destruction.

For the love of money is a root of all evils, for which some being greedy, have strayed from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

By covetousness they will exploit you with well-turned words; whose judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; accursed children.

They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;