Scripture Guide to Justice

Hebrew Scriptures

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

Gn 1:1-31 The story of creation; call to stewardship of the earth

Gn 4:9-10 Am I my brother’s keeper?

Ex 3:1-20 God reveals himself as liberator; sends Moses to free his people from economic and political oppression

Ex 6:2-13 God the liberator

Ex 16:1-36 The manna and the quails

Ex 17:1-7 Water from the rock

Ex 22:20-24 Justice and mercy toward stranger, orphan, widow

Ex 22:25-27 Mercy and kindness toward neighbor

Ex 23:6-8 Legal systems should judge fairly

Ex 23:9 Don’t oppress strangers

Lv 19:9-18 Treat your neighbor with justice and mercy; love your neighbor as yourself

Lv 19:23-24 Don’t oppress strangers

Lv 19: 32-34 Respect for the elderly and foreigners

Lv 19: 8ff Holy year of jubilee; economic restoration

Lv 25: 23-28 The land belongs to the Lord; you are strangers and guests

Lv 27: 32 Tithing

Dt 1:16-17 Judge impartially

Dt 10:16-20 Don’t oppress strangers

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

Dt 15:1-15 Periodic cancellation of debts and release of slaves; let there be no poor among you

Dt 24:17-22 Justice towards strangers, orphans,widows

Dt 24:19-22 Remember the poor while harvesting; gleaning

Dt 26:12-13 Tithing and concern for the poor

Dt 27:19 Don’t oppress strangers

Dt 30 A nation that chooses the Lord chooses life

1Ch 29:10-14 We only give back to God what God has first given us

1 Sm 15:22 Excessive formalism vs. obedience to God

Tb 4:16-17 Treat others as you would be treated

Jb 1:21 Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return

Ps 8:1-9 Placed over all creation

Ps 9:7-12,18 God rules the world with Justice

Ps 9:9 Strength for the Oppressed; justice toward all

Ps 24:1ff The earth is the Lord’s

Ps 25:6-18 The Lord hears and protects the just

Ps 41:1-3 Regard for the lowly and the poor

Ps 65:9-13 God’s care for creation

Ps 68:5-6 God’s care for the helpless and homeless

Ps 72 God liberates and defends the poor and oppressed; justice flourishes in God’s day

Ps 82 No more mockery of justice

Ps 96:10-13 God judges the people with justice

Ps 103 Yahweh is always on the side of the oppressed

Ps 103:6-7 God judges in favor of the oppressed

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

Ps 140:12 God defends the cause of the poor

Ps 146:1-10 Creator and God of the oppressed

Ps 146:6-9 The Lord gives justice and liberty

Prv 17:15 In making fun of the poor you insult the creator

Prv 19:17 The Lord will pay back what you give to the poor

Prv 21:3 Justice is more pleasing than sacrifice

Prv 21:13 Listen to the cry of the poor or your cry for help will not be heard.

Prv 22:22-23 Do not rob or injure the poor

Prv 31:8-9 Be an advocate for the voiceless

Eccl 4:1-3 The power of oppressors and the weak

Sir 3:30; 4:11 Charity toward the poor

Is 1:10-28 Religious hypocrisy, its punishment and cure

Is 2:1-5 Turn swords into ploughshares

Is 3:13-15 Grinding the face of the poor

Is 5:1-7 God's people produce the bitter fruit of injustice

Is 5:8-9 Woe to those who hoard riches

Is 10:1-2 Bad legislators; denial of human rights

Is 29:13 Change of heart requires more than lip service

Is 32:16-17 Justice will bring peace

Is 58:1-12 God doesn’t want empty worship but a conversion of heart that produces justice, love, and mercy

Is 61:1-2 Mission of Christ foretold, good news to the poor; liberation

Jer 6:13-16 They cry, “Peace!” but there is none

Jer 6:19-20 Worship is not acceptable without obedience

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

Jer 7: 1–11 The temple is no haven for evildoers

Jer 22:3 Rescue the victim from the oppressor

Jer 22:16 To know the Lord is to act justly

Ez 34 Responsibilities of religious and civil leaders and authorities

Ez 37 God raises up a new people from “dry bones”

Dan 9:1-19 The nation is called to repent

Hos 6:6 Love, not empty worship

Am 2:6-7 The unjust trample on the heads of ordinary people

Am 5:10-15 Hate what is evil, do right; establish justice

Am 5:21-24 God wants worship that expresses true conversion and renewal that produces justice

Am 6:1, 3-6 Woe to the complacent and oppressive rich

Am 8:4-7 The powerful trample on the poor and needy

Mi 2:1-2 Woe to the oppressor

Mi 4:1-4 God's universal reign of peace; swords beat into plows

Mi 6:8 Act justly, love tenderly, walk humbly with God

Mi 6:9-14 Dishonesty condemned

Mi 7:18-20 God’s constant love

Hb 2:6-9 Trouble will come to those who exploit

Zec 7:9-10 Justice and Mercy

Christian Scriptures

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

Mt 4:1-10 The Temptation of Jesus

Mt.5:13-16 Salt and light for the world

Mt.5:23-25 Forgiveness and reconciliation

Mt.5:38-48 Give your coat; walk the extra mile

Mt.6:1-4 Don't make a show of your generosity

Mt 6:19-21 Your heart is where your treasure is

Mt 6:25-34 Set your hearts on God’s Kingdom first

Mt 7:21; Lk 6:46-49

Combine prayer with action

Mt 8:20 Christ lived in poverty

Mt 10:37-39 Take up the cross daily; lose life to gain life

Mt 11:2-6 The signs for recognizing the Messiah and his followers

Mt 12:46-50 Do God’s will

Mt 12:15-21 God’s chosen servant, persistent until justice triumphs

Mt 15:32 Compassion and a sense of responsibility

Mt 19:16-30 The rich young man

Mt 20:26-28 Christians must be servants

Mt 23:11 Be a servant

Mt 23-23-24 Don’t neglect justice and mercy

Mt 25:12-30 The parable of the three servants

Mt 25:31-46 Whatever we do to our neighbor, we do to Christ

Mk 6:30-37 Give them something to eat yourselves

Mk 8:1-9 Jesus feeds 4000 people

Mk 9:35; 10:41-45

To be first before God, be a servant

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

Mk 10:17-31 The rich young man refuses invitation to voluntary poverty

Mk 12:41-44 The widow’s offering

Lk 1:52-53 Mary’s song of praise; God exalts the poor

Lk 3:10-18 John the Baptists’ call to share extra clothing, food

Lk 4:16-30 Jesus announces his mission to liberate people

Lk 6:20-26 Beatitudes, condemnation of oppressive and complacent rich

Lk 6:26-35 Make peace through nonviolence and love of enemies

Lk 7:18-23 The blind see, the Good News is preached

Lk 10:25-37 The Good Samaritan

Lk 11:40-42 Pharisaism; need for justice and love

Lk 12:13-21 A person’s worth is not determined by how much one owns

Lk 12:32-34 Sell and give alms; your heart will be where your riches are

Lk 14:7-14 Humility and hospitality

Lk 15:1-7 Jesus associated with the outcasts of society; the lost sheep

Lk 16:19-31 Lazarus and the rich man

Lk 19:7-9 Zaccheus; conversion, repentance and restitution

Lk 19:41 Jesus weeps over Jerusalem

Lk 22:24-27 Be a servant

Lk 24:49 Christ empowers us to continue his work

Jn 6:5-13 Christ feeds the hungry

Jn 6:35 Jesus the Bread of Life

Jn 10:1-18 Jesus the Good Shepherd

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

Jn 13:1-15 Jesus washes the feet of disciples as the suffering servant

Jn 13:34-35 Love-the distinctive characteristic of Christians

Jn 14:10-17 Those who believe in Christ will do the same and greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit

Jn 16:33 Christ has overcome the world

Acts 1:4 The power we need to do Christ’s work

Acts 1:6-8 Our job is to be Christ’s witness

Acts 2:43-47; 5:12-16

The first Christian community shared everything; no one was in need

Acts 4:18-22 Obey God rather than people

Acts 4:32-35 True Christian community; possessions shared

Acts 6:1-6 Deacons appointed for service

Acts 10:34-35 God shows no favoritism

Acts 16:16-24; 17:1-9

Paul thrown into jail for preaching Jesus and calling for change

Rom 5:6-11 Friends with God through Christ

Rom 8:14-17 We have been given a spirit of freedom, not slavery

Rom 12:9-13, 16-17

One body in Christ, serving others

Rom 12:10-18 Make friends with the poor

Rom 13:8-10 Our only debt is to love one another

Rom 14:17-19 The kingdom is justice, peace and joy

1 Cor 11:17-34

Dishonoring the Lord’s Supper, division in the community

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

1 Cor 12:7-11 The gifts of the Holy Spirit are tools for building Christian community

1 Cor 12:24-26

If one suffers, all suffer

1 Cor 13 Love as the Christian life style

1 Cor 16:1-4 Set aside money to aid others

2 Cor 4:7 God’s power working in and through us

2 Cor 6:6 The qualities of a servant

2 Cor 8:1-15 Be generous in sharing with the needy; Christ became poor to enrich us

2 Cor 9:1-15 Give gladly

Gal 3:28 There are no distinctions, all are one in Christ

Gal 5:1 You have been called to live in freedom

Gal 5:13-15 Use your freedom to serve others; love fulfills the law

Gal 5:22-23 The fruits of the Holy Spirit

Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens

Gal 6:9-10 Do not tire of doing good

Eph 2:8-10 Saved through faith in Christ, created for a life of good deeds

Eph 4:11-16 The base for ministry is the community; the whole body grows and is built up by love

Eph 4:23-24 Put aside old misdirected ways for a new, fresh way of thinking

Phil 2:1-11 Unity and service; be a servant like Christ

Col 3:10-12 On racial discrimination

Col 3:17 Do all in Christ’s name

Bk-Ch-Vs Theme Statement

1 Thes 5:12-18

The demands of community life

1 Tm 6:1-10 Love of money is the root of all evel

1 Tm 6:17-19 Tell the rich not to be proud

Heb 10:24-25 Concern in the Christian Community

Heb 13:1-3 Welcome strangers, remember those imprisoned

Heb 13:5 Be satisfied, God is with you

Jas 1:22-27 Be doers, not only hearers of the word

Jas 2:1-9 Love your neighbor, treat all with dignity

Jas 2:14-17 Faith without actions is dead

Jas 3:13-18 Peacemakers follow true wisdom

Jas 5:1-6 Riches obtained unjustly bring misery

1 Pt 4:7-11 Put your gifts at the service of others

1 Jn 3:17 Selfishness precludes justice

1 Jn 4:7-12 If we love one another, God’s love is made perfect in us

1 Jn 4:19-21 We can’t love God without loving neighbor

Rev 21:1-6 The new heaven and the new earth