Here are Bible verses, from both the Old and the New Testament, that all people in the justice system should consider.
The US Constitution has power over Americans only as long as we live.
The Bible has power over us forever. The Golden Rule is eternal. While many of these verses are Old Testament,
they give us insight to God's heart about justice.
Exodus 20:16: "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (The word ‘neighbor' applies to everyone.)
Deuteronomy 19: 15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed.
A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
(I believe forensic evidence as a type of witness, and falsely planted evidence is false testimony)
16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. You must purge the evil from among you. 20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid, and never again will such an evil thing be done among you. 21 Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
(The death penalty was a part of Old Testament life, instituted by God).
I believe this should be in our legal code.
Exodus 23: 6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. 7 Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. 8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.”
Proverbs 6:
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Revelation 21:8:
(Jesus, speaking to the Apostle John, also called ‘the Revelator’.)
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Eric J. Rose
middlegrademysteries.com
photo: