Leviticus 1

GOD’S WORD Translation

1 The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, ² “Tell the Israelites: If any of you bring a sacrifice to the Lord, you must offer an animal from your cattle, sheep, or goats.

Burnt Offerings of Cattle

³ “If you bring a burnt offering from your cattle, you must offer a male that has no defects. Offer it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that the Lord will accept you. ⁴ Place your hand on the animal’s head. The burnt offering will be accepted to make peace with the Lord. ⁵ Then slaughter the bull in the Lord’s presence. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will offer the blood. They will throw it against all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁶ Skin the burnt offering, and cut it into pieces. ⁷ Then the sons of the priest Aaron will start a fire on the altar and lay the wood on the fire. ⁸ Aaron’s sons, the priests, will also lay the pieces, the head, and the fat on top of the wood burning on the altar. ⁹ Wash the internal organs and legs. Then the priest will burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord.

Burnt Offerings of Sheep or Goats

¹⁰ “If your offering is a sheep or goat, you must bring a male that has no defects. ¹¹ Slaughter it in the Lord’s presence on the north side of the altar. Aaron’s sons, the priests, will throw the blood against the altar on all sides. ¹² Then cut it into pieces. The priest will lay the head and the fat on the wood burning on the altar. ¹³ Wash the internal organs and legs. Then the priest will burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord.

Burnt Offerings of Birds

¹⁴ “If your offering to the Lord is a bird, you must sacrifice a mourning dove or pigeon. ¹⁵ The priest must bring it to the altar. He will break its neck and burn the bird on the altar. First, he will drain the blood against the side of the altar. ¹⁶ Remove the gizzard with its filth and throw it on the east side of the altar on the place for the ashes. ¹⁷ Then pull on the bird’s wings to tear the bird open, but don’t pull the wings off. Then the priest will lay the bird on the wood burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to the Lord.”