Leviticus 17:10-19:8

New International Version - UK

¹⁰ ‘“I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood, and I will cut them off from the people. ¹¹ For the life of a creature is in the blood, 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.^{[a] 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, 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.’

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

Unlawful sexual relations

18 The Lord said to Moses, ² ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “I am the Lord your God. 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. ⁴ You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. ⁵ Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.

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

⁷ ‘“Do not dishonour your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

⁸ ‘“Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonour your father.

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

¹⁰ ‘“Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonour 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; she is your father’s close relative.

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

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

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

¹⁶ ‘“Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonour your brother.

¹⁷ ‘“Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. 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 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 of her monthly period.

²⁰ ‘“Do not have sexual relations with your neighbour’s wife and defile yourself with her.

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

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

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.

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 became defiled. ²⁵ Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. ²⁶ But you must keep my decrees and my laws. 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, it will vomit you out 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 and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practised before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.”’

Various laws

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

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

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

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. ⁷ If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted. ⁸ Whoever eats it will be held responsible because they have desecrated what is holy to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people.