Proverbs 17:23

⁸A bribe is a precious stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns, he prospers.

¹⁹You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous.

⁸“You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.

³Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe. The powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.

²³Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards. They don’t defend the fatherless, neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

¹²In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord GOD.

¹⁴A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe in the cloak, strong wrath.

¹¹Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money; yet they lean on the LORD, and say, “Isn’t the LORD among us? No disaster will come on us.”

³Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”

¹⁰Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them. ¹¹They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.