Deuteronomy 26:1-11

New Catholic Bible

Chapter 26

Thanksgiving for God’s Gifts. ¹ When you have entered the land that the Lord, your God, is giving to you as an inheritance and you have taken possession of it and are dwelling in it, ² you shall take the firstfruits of the produce of the earth in the land that the Lord, your God, is giving you, and you shall put them in a basket. You shall then bring them to the place that the Lord, your God, has chosen as a dwelling place for his name. ³ Go to the priest then in office and say, “I declare today to the Lord, your God, that I have come into the land that the Lord promised to our fathers to give us.” ⁴ The priest will then take the basket out of your hand and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord, your God. ⁵ You shall declare before the Lord, your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean,^[a] and he went down into Egypt with a few people and he dwelt there becoming a great nation, powerful and numerous. ⁶ The Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us and forced us to do hard labor. ⁷ We cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and took notice of our affliction, labor, and oppression. ⁸ The Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with terrifying and awesome signs and wonders. ⁹ He brought us to this place and gave us a land, this land that is flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰ Now I have brought the firstfruits of the land that you, O Lord, have given me.” Then place it before the Lord, your God, and worship the Lord, your God. ¹¹ You and the Levites and the foreigner who lives with you will rejoice over every good thing that the Lord, your God, has given to you and your household.