Respect of Persons

re-spekt': The phrase nasa' phanim, means literally, "lift up the face," and, among other translations, is rendered indifferently "accept" or "respect the person" in the King James Version (contrast Prov 18:5 and 24:23). As applied to a (prostrate) suppliant, the phrase means "receive him with favor," and is so used in 1 Sam 25:35; Mal 1:8; Mal 1:9 (compare Gen 19:21, etc.). By a shift in force the phrase came to mean "accept the person instead of the cause" or "show partiality" (Job 13:8; Job 13:10 the American Standard Revised Version), and is so used commonly. A literal translation into Greek gave lambano prosopon (Sirach 35:13 (32:16); Luke 20:21; Gal 2:6), with the noun prosopolempsia, "face-taking" (Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1), rendered uniformly "respect of persons" in English Versions of the Bible. A noun prosopolemptes, "respecter of persons," and a verb prosopolempteo, are found Acts 10:34; Jas 2:9. God's judgment rests solely on the character of the man and will be influenced by no worldly (Eph 6:9) or national (Rom 2:11) considerations.