---
title: "Job 34:12"
description: "'The Almighty will not pervert justice.' God neither acts wickedly nor bends justice; therefore His prescribed way of justice is never the flawed option. The abolitionist inference: distrust of God's method ('justice only won't work') impugns the God who cannot pervert justice."
type: "scripture"
book: "Job"
chapter: 34
verses: "12"
translation: "NASB"
refutes: "Pro-life incrementalism"
affirms_abolition: true
themes:
  - "God will not pervert justice"
  - "trust in God's method"
  - "divine integrity"
source_url: "https://www.abhortion.org/scripture/job-34-12.html"
---

# Job 34:12

Book of Job · Chapter 34

## The text

> “Surely, God will not act wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.”
> — Job 34:12, NASB

**The claim this verse counters:** "God's methods can be improved upon by human strategy; His way of justice 'won't work.'"

## The argument

'The Almighty will not pervert justice.' God neither acts wickedly nor bends justice; therefore His prescribed way of justice is never the flawed option. The abolitionist inference: distrust of God's method ('justice only won't work') impugns the God who cannot pervert justice.

## Context & notes

Foundation text used to counter the underlying unbelief the speaker diagnoses in incrementalism — the fear that obeying God 'won't work.' If God cannot pervert justice, His way is always the wise and effective one.

## Themes

- God will not pervert justice
- trust in God's method
- divine integrity

## Discussion questions

1. If 'the Almighty will not pervert justice,' can His command of 'justice only' ever be the imprudent choice?
2. What belief about God is implied by the claim that doing justice 'won't work'?

## Source transcript

Drawn from Does the Pro-Life Movement Hate Justice? (T. Russell Hunter, 'Justice Alone') — 'God doesn't act wickedly, and the almighty will not pervert justice. Job 34:12.'.

## Related

**Related scriptures:**

- [Isaiah 61:8](isaiah-61-8.md)
- [Proverbs 21:15](proverbs-21-15.md)
- [Micah 6:8](micah-6-8.md)

**Related arguments:**

- [Obeying God is the most pragmatic path — disobedience 'to get results' does not work](../arguments/arg-obedience-pragmatic.md)
- [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