Old/New Testament
Chapter 21
Laws Concerning Slaves. 1 “These are the decrees that you will set before them.
2 “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he will serve you for six years and in the seventh year he will go free, without paying anything.[a] 3 If he entered into slavery unmarried, he will go out alone. If he is married, then his wife will go with him. 4 If his master has given him a wife and she has had sons or daughters, the woman and her children will be the property of the master and he will go out alone.
5 “If the slave says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children, and I do not want to go free,’ 6 then the master will bring him before God. He will bring him to a door or a doorpost and will bore a hole in his ear with an awl. He will be his slave forever.
7 “When a man sells his daughter[b] as a slave, she will not go free as the male slaves do. 8 If she does not please her master who has taken her as a concubine, she will be allowed to be redeemed. But he cannot sell her to foreigners, for he has acted faithlessly to her. 9 If he wishes to give her as a concubine to his own son, he will treat her like a daughter. 10 If he takes another for himself, he will not withhold her food, her clothes, or her marriage rights. 11 If he does not give her these things, then she can go away without having to pay the price of her redemption.
12 Different Cases of the Penalty of Death.“Whoever strikes a man causing his death will be put to death. 13 However, if the man did not lie in wait, but he met him by chance, there will be a place where he can flee for refuge.
14 “But when a person kills a neighbor with premeditation, he shall be dragged away from my altar to be put to death.
15 “Whoever strikes a mother or a father will be put to death.
16 “Whoever kidnaps a man and either sells him or has him still in his possession, shall be put to death.
17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
18 Punishments for Personal Injury.[c]“When people are fighting and one of them injures the other with a stone or with a fist, and this does not kill the other but causes a serious injury, 19 and yet the injured party is able to walk around with a staff, then the one who struck the blow shall be held to be innocent. He must, however, pay the victim for the time he lost on account of the injury and he must pay for his medical care.
20 “When a man strikes his male or female slave with a staff and kills that slave, he shall surely be punished. 21 But if the slave lives for a day or two, the slave-owner shall not be punished, for the slave is his property.
22 “When some men fight and injure a pregnant woman so that she loses her child, but there is no other damage, they will be fined as much as the husband of the woman decides. They will pay in the presence of a judge. 23 But if further harm results, they will pay a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, 25 a burning for a burning, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.
26 “When a man strikes the eye of his male slave or his female slave and blinds the slave, he will free the slave because of the eye. 27 If he breaks a tooth of his male slave or his female slave, he will free the slave to compensate for the tooth.
28 Animals: Injuries and Thefts.“If an ox gores a man or a woman and that person dies, the ox is to be stoned and its meat is not to be eaten, but the owner of the ox will be considered to be innocent. 29 However, if the ox had already gored someone before and the owner had been warned, yet failed to keep it penned up, and if the ox gores another man or a woman and that person dies, then the ox is to be stoned and the owner is to be put to death.
30 “If, however, a fine is imposed, he can pay it to redeem his life, as much as has been required. 31 This will also be the procedure if a son or a daughter is gored.
32 “If an ox gores a male or female slave, the master of the slave will be paid thirty shekels of silver, and the ox is to be stoned.
33 “If someone leaves a cistern uncovered or digs a cistern and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the cistern must make restitution and pay the owner of the animal. The dead animal will be his.
35 “If someone’s ox gores another person’s ox and that ox dies, then they will sell the live ox and divide its price between them, and they will also divide the dead ox. 36 But if it is known that the ox had already gored others and its owner had not confined it, then he must pay ox for ox, and the dead animal will be his.
37 “If a man steals an ox or a sheep and then kills it or sells it, he shall pay back five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.
Chapter 22
1 “If a thief is surprised while he is breaking in and is struck and dies, then there is no bloodguilt for the striker. 2 But if the sun has already risen on him, there would be bloodguilt for the striker.
“A thief must surely pay restitution. If he has nothing with which he can pay, then he is to be sold to pay for his theft.
3 “If he is found with the animals he robbed and they are still alive, whether they be oxen or donkeys or sheep, he is to repay double.
Offenses Regarding Compensation. 4 “If someone uses a field or a vineyard as a pasture and lets his animals graze in someone else’s field, then he must repay that person with the best of his field and the best of his vineyard.
5 “If a fire breaks out and it spreads to the thornbushes so that it burns the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself, the person who started the fire must make restitution.[d]
6 “If someone entrusts his neighbor with silver or goods for safekeeping, and there is a robbery in that house and the thief is caught, the thief shall pay back double. 7 If the thief is not caught, the master of the house is to be brought before the judges to swear that he has not laid hands on the property of his neighbor.
8 “Whatever the transgression, whether it be about an ox or a sheep or clothes or any other lost property about which a person has said, ‘This is mine,’ the case of both parties will be brought before the judges. Whoever the judges find guilty shall pay back double to his neighbor.
9 “If someone entrusts his neighbor with a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any other animal, and that animal dies or is injured or stolen with no witnesses, 10 then an oath to the Lord shall be taken between the two parties declaring that the one entrusted with the animal did not lay hands on his neighbor’s property. The owner of the property shall accept this and there shall be no restitution. 11 But if it was stolen while he was present, then he will make restitution to its owner. 12 If it was torn to pieces, let him bring the pieces as evidence and he shall not pay restitution.
13 “If someone borrows anything from a neighbor and it is hurt or dies when the owner is not there, he shall pay full restitution. 14 But if the owner is there, he shall not have to pay restitution. If the animal was hired, then its loss is the price of its hire.
15 Moral and Religious Regulations.“If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall pay a dowry for her and will make her his wife. 16 If her father refuses to give her to him, he must give him the normal amount of dowry paid for a virgin.[e]
17 “You shall not allow a witch to live.
18 “Whoever lies with an animal must die. 19 Whoever offers a sacrifice to any other god besides the Lord will be annihilated.
20 “You shall not mistreat or oppress the foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
21 “You shall not oppress the widow or the orphan. 22 If you mistreat them and they cry out to me for help, I will surely hear their cry, 23 and my fury will burn and I will put you to death by the sword. Your wives will be widows and your children will be orphans.
24 “If you lend money to any of the poor among my people, you will not act as a creditor toward him nor will you take any interest.
25 “If you take your neighbor’s mantle as a pledge, you shall restore it to him at sunset, 26 for it is his covering. It is the cloak for his body. What else would cover him when he sleeps? Otherwise, when he cries out to me, I will listen to his cry, for I am compassionate.[f]
27 “You shall not blaspheme God nor curse the leader of your people.
28 “You shall not delay to make offerings from your harvest and your vintage. You shall give your firstborn from among your sons to me. 29 You shall do the same with your oxen and your sheep. Seven days it shall remain with its mother, and on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
30 “You shall be men consecrated to me. So do not eat the flesh of any beast that has been torn to pieces in the countryside; you shall throw it to the dogs.
The Coming of the Son of Man[a]
The Ministry in Judea and Jerusalem
Chapter 19
Marriage and Celibacy.[b] 1 When Jesus had finished this discourse, he left Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came forward and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason whatsoever?” 4 He replied, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ 5 and said: ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two become one flesh’? 6 And so they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 He replied, “It was because you were so hard-hearted that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. 9 Now I say to you: if a man divorces his wife for any reason except if the marriage was unlawful and marries another, he commits adultery.”
10 His disciples said to him, “If that is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 He replied, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been made so from birth and eunuchs who were made so by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let those accept this who can do so.”[c]
13 Jesus Receives Little Children.[d] Then people brought children to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And after he had laid his hands on them he proceeded on his way.
16 The Rich Young Man.[e] Then a man came forward and asked him, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to achieve eternal life?” 17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said, “Which ones?” And Jesus answered, “You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. 19 Honor your father and your mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.”
20 The young man said to him, “I have observed all these. Is there anything more I must do?” 21 Jesus replied, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away grieving, for he possessed great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, I say to you, it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were astonished, and they asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
27 Reward for Following Jesus.[f] Then Peter said in reply, “We have given up everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?” 28 Jesus replied, “Amen, I say to you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
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