The Message Bible MSG
New Living Translation NLT
1 God calls the judges into his courtroom, he puts all the judges in the dock.
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God presides over heaven’s court; he pronounces judgment on the heavenly beings:
2 "Enough! You've corrupted justice long enough, you've let the wicked get away with murder.
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“How long will you hand down unjust decisions by favoring the wicked? Interlude
3 You're here to defend the defenseless, to make sure that underdogs get a fair break;
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“Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
4 Your job is to stand up for the powerless, and prosecute all those who exploit them."
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Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.
5 Ignorant judges! Head-in-the-sand judges! They haven't a clue to what's going on. And now everything's falling apart, the world's coming unglued.
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But these oppressors know nothing; they are so ignorant! They wander about in darkness, while the whole world is shaken to the core.
6 "I commissioned you judges, each one of you, deputies of the High God,
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I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High.
7 But you've betrayed your commission and now you're stripped of your rank, busted."
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But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler.’”
8 O God, give them their just deserts! You've got the whole world in your hands!
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Rise up, O God, and judge the earth, for all the nations belong to you.
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.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.