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Leviticus 17-19
New King James Version

The Sanctity of Blood

17 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘This is the thing which the Lord has commanded, saying: 3 “Whatever man of the house of Israel who (A)kills an ox or lamb or goat in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, 4 and does not bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting to offer an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord, the guilt of bloodshed shall be (B)imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be [a]cut off from among his people, 5 to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices (C)which they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, and offer them as peace offerings to the Lord. 6 And the priest (D)shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and (E)burn the fat for a sweet aroma to the Lord. 7 They shall no more offer their sacrifices (F)to [b]demons, after whom they (G)have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.” ’

8 “Also you shall say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, (H)who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, 9 and does not (I)bring it to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to offer it to the Lord, that man shall be [c]cut off from among his people.

10 (J)‘And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, (K)I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 11 For the (L)life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar (M)to make atonement for your souls; for (N)it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’ 12 Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘No one among you shall eat blood, nor shall any stranger who dwells among you eat blood.’

13 “Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who (O)hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall (P)pour out its blood and (Q)cover it with dust; 14 (R)for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.’

15 (S)“And every person who eats what died naturally or what was torn by beasts, whether he is a native of your own country or a stranger, (T)he shall both wash his clothes and (U)bathe in water, and be unclean until evening. Then he shall be clean. 16 But if he does not wash them or bathe his body, then (V)he shall bear his [d]guilt.”

Laws of Sexual Morality

18 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: (W)‘I am the Lord your God. 3 (X)According to [e]the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and (Y)according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their [f]ordinances. 4 (Z)You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God. 5 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.

6 ‘None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord. 7 The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. 8 The nakedness of your (AA)father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness. 9 (AB)The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover. 10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for theirs is your own nakedness. 11 The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father—she is your sister—you shall not uncover her nakedness. 12 (AC)You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is near of kin to your father. 13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is near of kin to your mother. 14 (AD)You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. 15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law—she is your son’s wife—you shall not uncover her nakedness. 16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. 17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her (AE)daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near of kin to her. It is wickedness. 18 Nor shall you take a woman (AF)as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.

19 ‘Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as (AG)long as she is in her (AH)customary impurity. 20 (AI)Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your (AJ)neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her. 21 And you shall not let any of your descendants (AK)pass through (AL)the fire to (AM)Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 22 You shall not lie with (AN)a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. 23 Nor shall you mate with any (AO)animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.

24 (AP)‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; (AQ)for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. 25 For (AR)the land is defiled; therefore I (AS)visit[g] the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land (AT)vomits out its inhabitants. 26 (AU)You shall therefore [h]keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you 27 (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), 28 lest (AV)the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. 29 For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be [i]cut off from among their people.

30 ‘Therefore you shall keep My [j]ordinance, so (AW)that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: (AX)I am the Lord your God.’ ”

Moral and Ceremonial Laws

19 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: (AY)‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

3 (AZ)‘Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and (BA)keep My Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.

4 (BB)‘Do not turn to idols, (BC)nor make for yourselves [k]molded gods: I am the Lord your God.

5 ‘And (BD)if you offer a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, you shall offer it of your own free will. 6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. And if any remains until the third day, it shall be burned in the fire. 7 And if it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It shall not be accepted. 8 Therefore everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the hallowed offering of the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from his people.

9 (BE)‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

11 (BF)‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, (BG)nor lie to one another. 12 And you shall not (BH)swear by My name falsely, (BI)nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.

13 (BJ)‘You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. (BK)The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. 14 You shall not curse the deaf, (BL)nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

15 ‘You shall do no injustice in (BM)judgment. You shall not (BN)be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go about as a (BO)talebearer among your people; nor shall you (BP)take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

17 (BQ)‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. (BR)You shall surely [l]rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. 18 (BS)You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, (BT)but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

19 ‘You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed. Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.

20 ‘Whoever lies carnally with a woman who is (BU)betrothed to a man as a concubine, and who has not at all been redeemed nor given her freedom, for this there shall be [m]scourging; but they shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21 And he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, a ram as a trespass offering. 22 The priest shall make [n]atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his sin which he has committed. And the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him.

23 ‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as [o]uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. It shall not be eaten. 24 But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the Lord. 25 And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase: I am the Lord your God.

26 ‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. 27 You shall not shave around the sides of your head, nor shall you disfigure the edges of your beard. 28 You shall not (BV)make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord.

29 (BW)‘Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry, and the land become full of wickedness.

30 ‘You shall [p]keep My Sabbaths and (BX)reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord.

31 ‘Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after (BY)them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

32 (BZ)‘You shall [q]rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and (CA)fear your God: I am the Lord.

33 ‘And (CB)if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him. 34 (CC)The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as [r]one born among you, and (CD)you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

35 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. 36 You shall have (CE)honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

37 (CF)‘Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the Lord.’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 17:4 Put to death
  2. Leviticus 17:7 Having the form of a goat or satyr
  3. Leviticus 17:9 Put to death
  4. Leviticus 17:16 iniquity
  5. Leviticus 18:3 what is done in
  6. Leviticus 18:3 statutes
  7. Leviticus 18:25 bring judgment for
  8. Leviticus 18:26 obey
  9. Leviticus 18:29 Put to death
  10. Leviticus 18:30 charge
  11. Leviticus 19:4 molten
  12. Leviticus 19:17 reprove
  13. Leviticus 19:20 punishment
  14. Leviticus 19:22 Lit. covering
  15. Leviticus 19:23 unclean
  16. Leviticus 19:30 observe
  17. Leviticus 19:32 rise to give honor
  18. Leviticus 19:34 native among you
Listen to Leviticus 17-19
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Leviticus 17-19
New International Version

Eating Blood Forbidden

17 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to Aaron and his sons(A) and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: 3 Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox,[a] a lamb(B) or a goat(C) in the camp or outside of it 4 instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting(D) to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord(E)—that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.(F) 5 This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.(G) 6 The priest is to splash the blood against the altar(H) of the Lord(I) at the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(J) 7 They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols[b](K) to whom they prostitute themselves.(L) This is to be a lasting ordinance(M) for them and for the generations to come.’(N)

8 “Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice 9 and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent(O) of meeting(P) to sacrifice it to the Lord(Q) must be cut off from the people of Israel.

10 “‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood,(R) and I will cut them off from the people. 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood,(S) and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.[c](T) 12 Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.”

13 “‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,(U) 14 because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.”(V)

15 “‘Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything(W) found dead or torn by wild animals(X) must wash their clothes and bathe with water,(Y) and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening;(Z) then they will be clean. 16 But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.(AA)’”

Unlawful Sexual Relations

18 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.(AB) 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.(AC) 4 You must obey my laws(AD) and be careful to follow my decrees.(AE) I am the Lord your God.(AF) 5 Keep my decrees and laws,(AG) for the person who obeys them will live by them.(AH) I am the Lord.

6 “‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.

7 “‘Do not dishonor your father(AI) by having sexual relations with your mother.(AJ) She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

8 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;(AK) that would dishonor your father.(AL)

9 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister,(AM) either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.(AN)

10 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

11 “‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

12 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister;(AO) she is your father’s close relative.

13 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,(AP) because she is your mother’s close relative.

14 “‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.(AQ)

15 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.(AR) She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.(AS)

16 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;(AT) that would dishonor your brother.

17 “‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.(AU) Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

18 “‘Do not take your wife’s sister(AV) as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

19 “‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness(AW) of her monthly period.(AX)

20 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife(AY) and defile yourself with her.

21 “‘Do not give any of your children(AZ) to be sacrificed to Molek,(BA) for you must not profane the name of your God.(BB) I am the Lord.(BC)

22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman;(BD) that is detestable.(BE)

23 “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.(BF)

24 “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you(BG) became defiled.(BH) 25 Even the land was defiled;(BI) so I punished it for its sin,(BJ) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.(BK) 26 But you must keep my decrees and my laws.(BL) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, 27 for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. 28 And if you defile the land,(BM) it will vomit you out(BN) as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

29 “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. 30 Keep my requirements(BO) and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.(BP)’”

Various Laws

19 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel(BQ) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,(BR) am holy.(BS)

3 “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father,(BT) and you must observe my Sabbaths.(BU) I am the Lord your God.(BV)

4 “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.(BW) I am the Lord your God.(BX)

5 “‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. 6 It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.(BY) 7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.(BZ) 8 Whoever eats it will be held responsible(CA) because they have desecrated what is holy(CB) to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people.(CC)

9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges(CD) of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.(CE) 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time(CF) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.(CG) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.(CH) I am the Lord your God.

11 “‘Do not steal.(CI)

“‘Do not lie.(CJ)

“‘Do not deceive one another.(CK)

12 “‘Do not swear falsely(CL) by my name(CM) and so profane(CN) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

13 “‘Do not defraud or rob(CO) your neighbor.(CP)

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker(CQ) overnight.(CR)

14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,(CS) but fear your God.(CT) I am the Lord.

15 “‘Do not pervert justice;(CU) do not show partiality(CV) to the poor or favoritism to the great,(CW) but judge your neighbor fairly.(CX)

16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander(CY) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.(CZ) I am the Lord.

17 “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.(DA) Rebuke your neighbor frankly(DB) so you will not share in their guilt.

18 “‘Do not seek revenge(DC) or bear a grudge(DD) against anyone among your people,(DE) but love your neighbor(DF) as yourself.(DG) I am the Lord.

19 “‘Keep my decrees.(DH)

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.(DI)

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.(DJ)

20 “‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man(DK) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.[d] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. 21 The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord.(DL) 22 With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.(DM)

23 “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.[e] For three years you are to consider it forbidden[f]; it must not be eaten. 24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,(DN) an offering of praise to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

26 “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.(DO)

“‘Do not practice divination(DP) or seek omens.(DQ)

27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.(DR)

28 “‘Do not cut(DS) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

29 “‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,(DT) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.(DU)

30 “‘Observe my Sabbaths(DV) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.(DW)

31 “‘Do not turn to mediums(DX) or seek out spiritists,(DY) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect(DZ) for the elderly(EA) and revere your God.(EB) I am the Lord.(EC)

33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.(ED) Love them as yourself,(EE) for you were foreigners(EF) in Egypt.(EG) I am the Lord your God.

35 “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.(EH) 36 Use honest scales(EI) and honest weights, an honest ephah[g](EJ) and an honest hin.[h](EK) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.(EL)

37 “‘Keep all my decrees(EM) and all my laws(EN) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 17:3 The Hebrew word can refer to either male or female.
  2. Leviticus 17:7 Or the demons
  3. Leviticus 17:11 Or atonement by the life in the blood
  4. Leviticus 19:20 Or be an inquiry
  5. Leviticus 19:23 Hebrew uncircumcised
  6. Leviticus 19:23 Hebrew uncircumcised
  7. Leviticus 19:36 An ephah was a dry measure having the capacity of about 3/5 of a bushel or about 22 liters.
  8. Leviticus 19:36 A hin was a liquid measure having the capacity of about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters.
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