---
title: "Habakkuk 1:4"
description: "When law fails to uphold justice, 'justice comes out perverted' and 'the wicked surround the righteous.' The speaker assigns this to the 'no justice' position: opposing abortion while refusing to enforce justice paralyzes the law and describes the present culture."
type: "scripture"
book: "Habakkuk"
chapter: 1
verses: "4"
translation: "NASB"
refutes: "Pro-life incrementalism"
affirms_abolition: true
themes:
  - "paralyzed law"
  - "perverted justice"
  - "no justice"
  - "cultural decay"
source_url: "https://www.abhortion.org/scripture/habakkuk-1-4.html"
---

# Habakkuk 1:4

Book of Habakkuk · Chapter 1

## The text

> Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted.
> — Habakkuk 1:4, NASB

**The claim this verse counters:** "A 'pro-life' stance that opposes abortion in sentiment but not in law is sufficient."

## The argument

When law fails to uphold justice, 'justice comes out perverted' and 'the wicked surround the righteous.' The speaker assigns this to the 'no justice' position: opposing abortion while refusing to enforce justice paralyzes the law and describes the present culture.

## Context & notes

Paired with Ecclesiastes 8:11 as the two failure-modes: 'no justice' (Habakkuk) and 'justice later' (Ecclesiastes). Describes a society where injustice is normalized because law does not act.

## Themes

- paralyzed law
- perverted justice
- no justice
- cultural decay

## Discussion questions

1. Habakkuk says when the law fails to act, justice comes out 'perverted.' Does opposing abortion without legally prohibiting it uphold justice?
2. What does it look like when 'the wicked surround the righteous' in a culture?

## Source transcript

Drawn from Does the Pro-Life Movement Hate Justice? (T. Russell Hunter, 'Justice Alone') — 'The no justice people, that's Habakkuk 1:4... the law is paralyzed, justice never goes forth.'.

## Related

**Related scriptures:**

- [Ecclesiastes 8:11](ecclesiastes-8-11.md)
- [Deuteronomy 16:20](deuteronomy-16-20.md)
- [Isaiah 10:1-2](isaiah-10-1-2.md)

**Related arguments:**

- [God commands 'justice, and only justice' — not partial or deferred justice](../arguments/arg-justice-only.md)

## Attribution

Verse text is quoted from the NASB. Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org