He says, ¹  “How long will you make unjust legal decisions and show favoritism to the wicked? ²  (Selah)

For this finds God’s favor, ¹  if because of conscience toward God ²  someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly.

If the wicked are shown mercy, they do not learn about justice. ¹  Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; ²  they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.

When ¹  he saw one of them being hurt unfairly, ²  Moses ³  came to his defense ⁴  and avenged the person who was mistreated by striking down the Egyptian.

my ¹  lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will whisper ²  no deceit.

Give me a desire for your rules, ¹  rather than for wealth gained unjustly. ² 

The person who gathers wealth by unjust means is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. ¹  Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. ²  At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.” ³ 

For anyone who acts dishonestly in these ways is abhorrent ¹  to the Lord your God.

For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; ¹  he did not overlook ²  their cry for help ³ 

Such ¹  are the ways ²  of all who gain profit unjustly; ³  it ⁴  takes away the life ⁵  of those who obtain it! ⁶ 

Wealth gained quickly ¹  will dwindle away, ²  but the one who gathers it little by little ³  will become rich. ⁴ 

Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. ¹ 

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if God wills it, ¹  than for doing evil.

“‘You ¹  must not deal unjustly in judgment: ²  you must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. ³  You must judge your fellow citizen fairly. ⁴ 

They have treated father and mother with contempt ¹  within you; they have oppressed the foreigner among you; they have wronged the orphan and the widow ²  within you.

For the land is full of people unfaithful to him. ¹  They live wicked lives and they misuse their power. ²  So the land is dried up ³  because it is under his curse. ⁴  The pastures in the wilderness are withered.

They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral; they do so right ¹  beside every altar! They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied; they do so right in the temple ²  of their God! ³ 

The prince will not take away any of the people’s inheritance by oppressively removing them from their property. He will give his sons an inheritance from his own possessions so that my people will not be scattered, each from his own property.’”

But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. ¹  Take that and give it to them for me and you.”

Therefore, if I come, ¹  I will call attention to the deeds he is doing ²  – the bringing of unjustified charges against us with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church!