Commentators unanimously see this verse as a foundational principle for justice and fairness, summarized by the Latin phrase 'Audi alteram partem'—'hear the other side.' Scholars like Barnes and Gill explain that whether in a courtroom, a church dispute, or a private conversation, wisdom demands that we suspend judgment until all parties have spoken. The first story told may seem right, but it is incomplete until it has been scrutinized by the other party involved.