They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring ¹  to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.

“You must not follow a crowd ¹  in doing evil things; ²  in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, ³ 

Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. ¹  I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power. ² 

She said, “In the past they would always say, ‘Let them inquire in Abel,’ and that is how they settled things.

Hear the Lord’s accusation, you mountains, you enduring foundations of the earth! For the Lord has a case against his people; he has a dispute with Israel! ¹ 

Then ¹  they came to Capernaum. ²  After Jesus ³  was inside the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?”

Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus ¹  began to argue with one another, ²  “How can this man ³  give us his flesh to eat?”

Rather they had several points of disagreement ¹  with him about their own religion ²  and about a man named Jesus ³  who was dead, whom Paul claimed ⁴  to be alive.

Where is the wise man? Where is the expert in the Mosaic law? ¹  Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of the world foolish?

When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints?

So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? ¹ 

So I want the men ¹  to pray ²  in every place, lifting up holy hands ³  without anger or dispute.

If a matter is too difficult for you to judge – bloodshed, ¹  legal claim, ²  or assault ³  – matters of controversy in your villages ⁴  – you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. ⁵ 

“How much less, ¹  then, can I answer him ²  and choose my words ³  to argue ⁴  with ⁵  him! ⁶ 

There ¹  an upright person could present his case ²  before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge.

“If I have disregarded the right of my male servants or my female servants when they disputed ¹  with me,

“Will the one who contends ¹  with the Almighty correct him? ²  Let the person who accuses God give him an answer!”

A quick-tempered person ¹  stirs up dissension, but one who is slow to anger ²  calms ³  a quarrel. ⁴ 

The one who forgives ¹  an offense seeks ²  love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends. ³ 

Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious person ¹  to kindle strife. ²