But you do see; you take notice of trouble and suffering and are always ready to help. The helpless commit themselves to you; you have always helped the needy.

because the wicked have drawn their bows and aimed their arrows to shoot from the shadows at good people.

They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil.

You make plans to ruin others; your tongue is like a sharp razor. You are always inventing lies.

Confuse the speech of my enemies, O Lord! I see violence and riots in the city,

There is destruction everywhere; the streets are full of oppression and fraud.

They can't wait to do something bad. They're always ready to kill.

Wicked people cannot sleep unless they have done something wrong. They lie awake unless they have hurt someone.

How terrible it will be for those who lie awake and plan evil! When morning comes, as soon as they have the chance, they do the evil they planned.

And so the LORD says, "I am planning to bring disaster on you, and you will not be able to escape it. You are going to find yourselves in trouble, and then you will not walk so proudly any more.

Then the chief priests and the elders met together in the palace of Caiaphas, the High Priest,

and made plans to arrest Jesus secretly and put him to death.

The next morning some Jews met together and made a plan. They took a vow that they would not eat or drink anything until they had killed Paul.

Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe makes people blind to what is right and ruins the cause of those who are innocent.

They are not to be unjust or show partiality in their judgments; and they are not to accept bribes, for gifts blind the eyes even of wise and honest men, and cause them to give wrong decisions.

But they did not follow their father's example; they were interested only in making money, so they accepted bribes and did not decide cases honestly.

You can survive if you say and do what is right. Don't use your power to cheat the poor and don't accept bribes. Don't join with those who plan to commit murder or to do other evil things.

Some of your people murder for pay. Some charge interest on the loans they make to other Israelites and get rich by taking advantage of them. They have forgotten me." The Sovereign LORD has spoken.

"I will bring my fist down on your robberies and murders.

I know how terrible your sins are and how many crimes you have committed. You persecute good people, take bribes, and prevent the poor from getting justice in the courts.

They are all experts at doing evil. Officials and judges ask for bribes. The influential people tell them what they want, and so they scheme together.