Proverbs 28:21

21 Playing favorites is always a bad thing; you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.

Proverbs 28:21 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 28:21

To have respect of persons [is] not good, &c,
In courts of judicature, to give a cause or pass sentence in favour of a person, because he is rich, or is a relation, a friend, an acquaintance, or has done a kindness; and against another, because of the reverse, ( Leviticus 19:15 ) ( Deuteronomy 16:19 ) ; nor in religious assemblies, making a difference between the rich and the poor, ( James 2:1 James 2:2 ) ; this is not good in itself, nor productive of good effects, and cannot be well pleasing to God, who himself is no respecter of persons; for for a piece of bread [that] man will transgress;
the laws of God and men; having used himself to such unrighteous methods of proceeding, he will do any base action for a small gain, he will stick at nothing, and do it for anything; as Cato used to say of M. Coelius the tribune,

``that he might be hired, for a morsel of bread, to speak or hold his peace;''
see ( Ezekiel 13:19 ) .

Proverbs 28:21 In-Context

19 Work your garden - you'll end up with plenty of food; play and party - you'll end up with an empty plate.
20 Committed and persistent work pays off; get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.
21 Playing favorites is always a bad thing; you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.
22 A miser in a hurry to get rich doesn't know that he'll end up broke.
23 In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated far more than bootlicking flattery.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.