Proverbs 28:21
New International Version
To show partiality is not good— yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

New Living Translation
Showing partiality is never good, yet some will do wrong for a mere piece of bread.

English Standard Version
To show partiality is not good, but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.

Berean Standard Bible
To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

King James Bible
To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

New King James Version
To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

New American Standard Bible
To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.

NASB 1995
To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

NASB 1977
To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

Legacy Standard Bible
To show partiality is not good, Even for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

Amplified Bible
To have regard for one person over another and to show favoritism is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.

Christian Standard Bible
It is not good to show partiality — yet even a courageous person may sin for a piece of bread.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
It is not good to show partiality— yet a man may sin for a piece of bread.

American Standard Version
To have respect of persons is not good; Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A man that favors persons is not good, for by a piece of bread he betrays a man.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
He that reverences not the persons of the just is not good: such a one will sell a man for a morsel of bread.

Contemporary English Version
It isn't right to be unfair, but some people can be bribed with only a piece of bread.

Douay-Rheims Bible
He that hath respect to a person in judgment, doth not well: such a man even for a morsel of bread forsaketh the truth.

English Revised Version
To have respect of persons is not good: neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Showing partiality is not good, because some people will turn on you even for a piece of bread.

Good News Translation
Prejudice is wrong. But some judges will do wrong to get even the smallest bribe.

International Standard Version
To show partiality isn't good, yet for a piece of bread the valiant will transgress.

JPS Tanakh 1917
To have respect of persons is not good; For a man will transgress for a piece of bread.

Literal Standard Version
[It] is not good to discern faces, | And a man transgresses for a piece of bread.

Majority Standard Bible
To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

New American Bible
To show partiality is never good: for even a morsel of bread one may do wrong.

NET Bible
To show partiality is terrible, for a person will transgress over the smallest piece of bread.

New Revised Standard Version
To show partiality is not good— yet for a piece of bread a person may do wrong.

New Heart English Bible
To show partiality is not good; yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

Webster's Bible Translation
To have respect of persons is not good: for, for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

World English Bible
To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.

Young's Literal Translation
To discern faces is not good, And for a piece of bread doth a man transgress.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Boldness of the Righteous
20A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished. 21To show partiality is not good, yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread. 22A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.…

Cross References
Proverbs 18:5
Showing partiality to the wicked is not good, nor is depriving the innocent of justice.

Proverbs 24:23
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.

Ezekiel 13:19
You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived.


Treasury of Scripture

To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

respect

Proverbs 18:5
It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

Proverbs 24:23
These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

Exodus 23:2,8
Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: …

Ezekiel 13:19
And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?

Hosea 4:18
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

Micah 3:5
Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

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Proverbs 28
1. general observations of impiety and integrity














(21) For, for a piece of bread.--A thing proverbially of little value. (Comp. Ezekiel 13:19.)

That man will transgress.--So degrading is the habit of servility.

Verse 21. - The first hemistich occurs a little fuller in Proverbs 24:23, referring there, as here, to the administration of justice. For for a piece of bread that man will transgress. Thus translated, this clause confirms the former, and says that a judge given to favouritism will swerve from right under the smallest temptation. But to bribe a judge with a morsel of bread seems an unlikely idea; and the gnome is of general application, "And for a morsel of bread a man [not 'that man'] will transgress." As some men in responsible positions are often swayed by low and unworthy considerations, so in social life a very insignificant cause is sufficient to warp the judgment of some persons, or draw them aside from the line of rectitude. (For "a piece of bread," as denoting abject poverty or a thing of no value, see on Proverbs 6:26) The commentators cite Aul. Gell., 'Noct. Att.,' 1:15, "Frusto panis conduci potest vel uti taceat vel uti loquatur." Septuagint, "He that regards not the persons of the just is not good; such a cue will sell a man for a morsel of bread."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
To show partiality
הַֽכֵּר־ (hak·kêr-)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 5234: To regard, recognize

[is] not
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

good,
ט֑וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

because a man
גָּֽבֶר׃ (gā·ḇer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1397: A valiant man, warrior, a person simply

may sin
יִפְשַׁע־ (yip̄·ša‘-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6586: To break away, trespass, apostatize, quarrel

for
וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

a piece
פַּת־ (paṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6595: Fragment, bit, morsel

of bread.
לֶ֝֗חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 28:21 To show partiality is not good (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 28:20
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