24 "Regarding the creatures mentioned above, this is how you would become unclean: Whoever touches their dead bodies will be unclean until evening. 25 Whoever carries any part of their dead bodies must wash his clothes. He will be unclean until evening. 26 All animals whose hoofs are not completely divided or that don't chew their cud are unclean for you. Whoever touches them is unclean. 27 All fourlegged animals that walk on their paws are unclean for you. Whoever touches their dead bodies will be unclean until evening. 28 Those who carry the dead body of any of these animals must wash their clothes and will be unclean until evening. These animals are unclean for you.

29 "The following swarming creatures that move on the ground are unclean for you-moles, mice, and all types of lizards: 30 geckos, monitors, lizards, skinks, and chameleons. 31 Among all the swarming creatures that move on the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches their dead bodies will be unclean until evening. 32 When the dead body of one of these creatures falls on something, that thing will be unclean. It may be a wooden article, clothing, leather, a sack, or anything used for any purpose. It should be put in water and will be unclean until evening. Then it will be clean again.

33 "If any of these creatures falls into a piece of pottery, break the pottery because everything in it is unclean. 34 If water from that pottery touches any food, the food is unclean. Any liquid that you drink from that pottery is unclean. 35 Anything on which their dead bodies fall is unclean. If it is an oven or a stove, smash it. It is unclean and will remain unclean for you. 36 However, a spring or a cistern holding water will remain clean. But anyone who touches their dead bodies will be unclean. 37 If their dead bodies fall on seed that is to be planted, the seed is clean. 38 But if water is poured on the seed and their dead bodies fall on it, the seed is unclean for you.

39 "When any animal that you are allowed to eat dies, whoever touches its dead body will be unclean until evening. 40 Those who eat any of its dead body must wash their clothes and will be unclean until evening. Those who carry its dead body away will wash their clothes and will be unclean until evening.

41 "Any creature that swarms on the ground is disgusting and must not be eaten. 42 Don't eat any creature with many legs that goes on its belly or on the ground like a fourlegged animal, or any creature that swarms on the ground. Consider them disgusting. 43 Don't become disgusting by eating anything that swarms on the ground. Never allow yourselves to become unclean because of them.

44 "Here is the reason: I am Yahweh your Elohim. You must live holy lives. Be holy because I am holy. Never become unclean by touching anything that swarms or crawls on the ground. 45 Here is the reason again: I am Yahweh . I brought you out of Egypt to be your Elohim . Be holy because I am holy.

46 "These are the instructions about animals, birds, and every living creature that swims in the water and every creature that swarms on the ground. 47 These instructions help you distinguish between clean and unclean, the animals you may eat and those you may not eat."

Instructions for Women after Childbirth 12 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites: When a woman gives birth to a boy, she will be unclean for seven days. This is the same number of days she is unclean for her monthly period. 3 The boy must be circumcised when he is eight days old. 4 Then she must stay at home for 33 days in order to be made clean from her bleeding. She must not touch anything holy or go into the holy place until the days needed to make her clean are over.

5 "When a woman gives birth to a girl, she will be unclean as in her monthly period. However, she will be unclean for two weeks. Then she must stay at home for 66 days in order to be made clean from her bleeding.

6 "When the days needed to make her clean are over, she must bring a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a mourning dove as an offering for sin. She must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 7 The priest will offer them in Yahweh's presence to make peace with the LORD for her. Then she will be clean from her flow of blood.

"These are the instructions for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. 8 If she cannot afford a lamb, she must use two mourning doves or two pigeons. One will be the burnt offering and the other the offering for sin. So the priest will make peace with the LORD for her, and she will be clean."

Skin Diseases 13 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, 2 "If anyone has a sore, a rash, or an irritated area on his skin that turns into an infectious skin disease, he must be taken to the priest Aaron or to one of his sons who are also priests. 3 The priest will examine the disease. If the hair in the diseased area has turned white, and the diseased area looks deeper than the rest of his skin, it is an infectious skin disease. When the priest has examined him, he must declare him unclean. 4 But if the irritated area is white and does not look deeper than the rest of the skin, and the hair has not turned white, the priest must put him in isolation for seven days. 5 On the seventh day the priest will examine him again. If the disease looks the same and has not spread, the priest must put him in isolation for another seven days. 6 On the seventh day the priest will examine him again. If the diseased area has faded and not spread, the priest must declare him clean. It is only a rash. The person must wash his clothes and will be clean. 7 But if the rash has spread after he has shown himself to the priest to be declared clean, he must show himself to the priest again. 8 The priest will examine him one more time, and if the rash has spread, the priest must declare him unclean. It is an infectious skin disease.

9 "If anyone has an infectious skin disease, he must be taken to the priest. 10 The priest will examine him. If there is a white sore that has turned the hair white, and if there is raw flesh in the sore, 11 he has a chronic skin disease. Without putting him in isolation, the priest must declare him unclean because he is unclean. 12 If skin disease develops and covers the whole person from head to foot (so far as the priest can see), 13 the priest will examine him. If the disease does cover his whole body, the priest must declare the diseased person clean. His body has turned white. The person is clean. 14 But if raw flesh appears, he will be unclean. 15 The priest will examine the raw flesh and declare him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean. It is an infectious skin disease. 16 But if the raw flesh turns white again, he must go to the priest. 17 The priest will examine him again, and if the diseased area has turned white, the priest must declare the diseased person clean. He is clean.

18 "If a boil on the skin has healed 19 and in its place there is a white sore or a pink area, it must be shown to the priest. 20 The priest will examine it. If it looks deeper than the rest of the skin and its hair has turned white, the priest must declare the person unclean. An infectious skin disease has developed in the boil. 21 But if the priest examines the affected area and the hair in it is not white or the affected area is not deeper than the rest of the skin but has faded, the priest must put him in isolation for seven days. 22 If the area has spread, the priest must declare him unclean. It is a skin disease. 23 But if the irritated area has not spread, it is a scar caused by the boil. The priest must declare him clean.

24 "If anyone has a burn on his skin and the raw flesh of the burn turns into a pink or bright white area, 25 the priest will examine it. If the hair on the affected area has turned white and the affected area looks deeper than the rest of the skin, an infectious skin disease has developed in the burn. The priest must declare him unclean. It is an infectious skin disease. 26 But if the priest examines it and the hair in it is not white and the affected area is not deeper than the rest of the skin but has faded, the priest must put him in isolation for seven days. 27 On the seventh day the priest will examine him again. If the area has spread, the priest must declare him unclean. It is an infectious skin disease. 28 If the irritated area does not spread but has faded, it is only a sore caused by the burn. The priest must declare him clean, because it is a scar caused by the burn.

29 "If a man or a woman has some disease on the head or chin, 30 the priest will examine the disease. If it looks deeper than the rest of the skin and there is thin yellow hair on it, the priest must declare the person unclean. It is a scab, a disease on the head or the chin. 31 But if the priest examines the scabby disease and it does not look deeper than the rest of the skin and there is no black hair in it, the priest must put the person with the scabby disease in isolation for seven days. 32 On the seventh day the priest will examine the disease. If the scab has not spread, there is no yellow hair on it, and the scab does not look deeper than the rest of the skin, 33 the person will shave everything except the scab. The priest will put the person with the scab in isolation for another seven days. 34 On the seventh day the priest will examine the scab again. If the scab has not spread on the skin and does not look deeper than the rest of the skin, the priest must declare him clean. When he has washed his clothes, he will be clean. 35 But if the scab spreads after the person has been declared clean, 36 the priest will make another examination. If the scab has spread on the skin, the priest does not have to look for yellow hair. The person is unclean. 37 But if he sees that the scab hasn't spread and black hair grows on it, the scab is healed. The person is clean, so the priest must declare him clean.

38 "If a man or a woman has white irritated areas of skin, 39 the priest will make an examination. If the irritated areas on the skin are pale white, a rash has developed on the skin. The person is clean.

40 "If a man loses his hair, he is clean, even though he is bald. 41 If he loses the hair on the front of his head, he is clean, even though he is bald on the forehead. 42 But if there is a pink patch on the bald places in back or in front, a skin disease is developing in those places. 43 The priest will examine him. If the sore from the disease in the bald places in back or in front is pink like a skin disease somewhere else on the body, 44 the man has come down with an infectious skin disease. He is unclean. The priest must declare him unclean because of the skin disease on his head.

45 "People who come down with a skin disease must wear torn clothes and leave their hair uncombed. They must cover their upper lips and call out, 'Unclean, unclean!' 46 As long as they have the skin disease, they are unclean. They must live outside the camp.

Mildew in Clothing or Leather Articles 47 "Now about clothing-if there is a green or red area on a piece of clothing 48 that is woven or knitted from linen or wool or on any leather article, 49 it is mildew. It must be shown to the priest. 50 The priest will examine the mildew and will put the clothing in a separate place for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he will examine the area again. If the spot is spreading, it is unclean. 52 He must burn the piece of clothing or the leather article because the mildew is growing. 53 But if the priest sees that the area has not spread, 54 he must order the area to be washed and put the clothing in a separate place for seven more days. 55 The priest will examine the area again after it is washed. If it doesn't look any different and the mildew has not spread, it is still unclean. It must be burned, whether the area is on the outside or the inside. 56 If the priest sees that the area is pale after washing, he will tear it out of the clothing or the leather. 57 However, if it shows up again, you must burn the clothing or the leather article. 58 But if the area disappears from the woven or knitted clothing or any leather article when it is washed, wash it again, and it will be clean.

59 "These are the instructions for deciding whether mildew in clothing that is woven or knitted from linen or wool or in any leather article is clean or unclean."

Cleansing after Skin Diseases 14 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 2 "These are the instructions for making a person clean after a skin disease. He must be taken to the priest. 3 The priest will go outside the camp and examine him. If the person is healed, 4 the priest will order someone to get two living, clean birds, some cedar wood, red yarn, and a hyssop sprig to use for the cleansing. 5 Then the priest will order someone to kill one bird over a clay bowl containing fresh water. 6 The priest will take the living bird, the cedar wood, the red yarn, and the hyssop sprig and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 He will sprinkle the blood seven times on the one to be cleansed and will declare that person clean. Then he will let the living bird fly away into the open country.

8 "The one to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and wash. Then he will be clean. After that he may go into the camp. However, for seven days he will live outside his tent. 9 On the seventh day he must shave off all the hair on his head, his beard, and his eyebrows, and he must wash his clothes and body. Then he will be clean.

10 "On the eighth day he must take two male lambs that have no defects and a one-year-old female lamb that has no defects. He must also take eight cups of flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering along with a quart of olive oil. 11 The priest who will declare him clean must bring the person and his offerings into Yahweh's presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 The priest will take one of the male lambs and the quart of olive oil and present them to Yahweh as a guilt offering. 13 He will slaughter the lamb in the holy place where he slaughters the offering for sin and the burnt offering. He will do this because the guilt offering, like the offering for sin, belongs to the priest. It is very holy. 14 Then the priest will take some of the blood from the guilt offering and put it on the right ear lobe, on the right thumb, and on the big toe of the right foot of the one to be cleansed. 15 The priest will also take some of the olive oil and pour it into his own left hand. 16 He will dip his right finger in the oil in his left hand, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times in Yahweh's presence. 17 The priest will put some of the oil that is still in his hand on the right ear lobe, on the right thumb, and on the big toe of the right foot of the one to be cleansed. These are the same places he had put the blood of the guilt offering. 18 The priest will put the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of the one to be cleansed. So he will make peace with the LORD for that person in Yahweh's presence. 19 The priest will also sacrifice the offering for sin to make peace with the LORD for the one who is being cleansed from his impurity. After that, he will slaughter the burnt offering. 20 The priest will sacrifice the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest will make peace with the LORD for that person, and the person who had the skin disease will be clean.

Cleansing for a Poor Person after a Skin Disease 21 "But if the one to be cleansed is poor and cannot afford that much, he must take one male lamb, present it to make peace with the LORD for himself, and use it for his guilt offering. He will take only eight cups of flour mixed with olive oil as a grain offering, a quart of olive oil, 22 and two mourning doves or two pigeons (whatever he can afford). The one will be an offering for sin and the other a burnt offering. 23 On the eighth day he will take them to the priest for his cleansing at the entrance to the tent of meeting in Yahweh's presence. 24 The priest will take the lamb for the guilt offering and the quart of olive oil and present them to Yahweh. 25 He will slaughter the lamb as a guilt offering. Then the priest will take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the right ear lobe, on the right thumb, and on the big toe of the right foot of the one to be cleansed. 26 The priest will pour some of the olive oil into his own left hand. 27 With his right finger he will sprinkle some of the oil seven times in Yahweh's presence. 28 The priest will put some of the oil that is in his hand on the right ear lobe, on the right thumb, and on the big toe of the right foot of the one to be cleansed. These are the same places he had put the blood of the guilt offering. 29 In Yahweh's presence, the priest will pour the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of the one to be cleansed in order to make a payment for him. 30 Then the one to be cleansed must take one of the mourning doves or pigeons (whichever he can afford),a 31 and sacrifice it as an offering for sin. He will take the other and sacrifice it as a burnt offering together with the grain offering. So in Yahweh's presence the priest will make peace with the LORD for the one who is being cleansed. 32 These are the instructions for one who has an infectious skin disease but cannot afford what is needed for his cleansing."

Mildew in Houses 33 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, 34 "When you come to Canaan that I am going to give to you, mildew may appear in a house. 35 The owner of that house must come and tell the priest that there is something that looks like mildew in his house.

36 "Before the priest examines the house, he will order everything taken out of it so that nothing in the house will become unclean. Then the priest will go inside to examine the house. 37 He will examine the mildew area on the walls. If it is green and red in sunken areas that are deeper than the rest of the wall, 38 the priest will go out to the door of the house and close up the house for seven days. 39 On the seventh day the priest will go back and examine it again. If the mildew in the walls of the house has spread, 40 the priest must order the stones that have the mildew to be torn out and thrown outside the city in an unclean place. 41 He must have the entire inside of the house scraped. The plaster dust scraped off the walls must be dumped in an unclean place outside the city. 42 The stones must be replaced, and the house must be plastered again. 43 If the mildew develops again in the house after all this, 44 the priest will examine it one more time. If it is a spreading type of mildew, the house is unclean. 45 The house-stones, wood, and all the plaster-must be torn down and taken to an unclean place outside the city. 46 Whoever goes into the house any time it is closed up will be unclean until evening. 47 Whoever sleeps or eats in the house must wash his clothes. 48 But if the priest comes and makes an examination and the mildew has not spread in the house after it is plastered again, the priest must declare the house clean. The mildew is gone.

49 "The priest must take two birds, cedar wood, red yarn, and a hyssop sprig and use them to make the house clean. 50 He must kill the one bird over a clay bowl containing fresh water. 51 He must take the cedar wood, the hyssop sprig, the red yarn, and the living bird and dip them in the fresh water containing the blood of the bird that was killed. He must sprinkle the house seven times. 52 So he must use the bird's blood, the fresh water, the living bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the red yarn to make the house clean. 53 Then he will let the living bird fly from the city into the open country. He will make peace with the LORD for the house, and it will be clean.

54 "These are the instructions for any kind of mildew or fungus 55 that infects clothing or houses 56 and for skin diseases where there is a sore, a rash, or an irritated area. 57 These instructions for skin diseases and mildew help you distinguish between what is clean and what is unclean."

Bodily Discharges from Men 15 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, 2 "Tell the Israelites: If a man has a discharge from his penis, his discharge is unclean. 3 He is unclean because of the discharge from his penis. Whether it is chronic or not makes no difference; he is still unclean.

4 "The man who has a discharge makes everything he lies on or sits on unclean. 5 Those who touch his bed must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. 6 Those who sit on anything he sat on must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. 7 Those who touch a man who has a discharge must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. 8 If a man who has a discharge spits on anyone who is clean, the person he spits on must wash his clothes and his body. He will be unclean until evening. 9 When a man who has a discharge sits on a saddle, it becomes unclean. 10 Those who carry such things must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. 11 If a man who has a discharge touches anyone without first rinsing his hands, the person he touched must wash his clothes and his body. He will be unclean until evening. 12 When a man who has a discharge touches pottery, it must be broken, and any wooden bucket he touches must be rinsed.

13 "When a man's discharge stops, he must wait seven days to be cleansed. He must wash his clothes and his body in fresh water. Then he will be clean. 14 On the eighth day he must take two mourning doves or two pigeons and come into Yahweh's presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He will give these birds to the priest. 15 The priest will sacrifice one as an offering for sin and the other as a burnt offering. So in Yahweh's presence, the priest will make peace with the LORD for the man who had a discharge.

16 "If a man has an emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body. He will be unclean until evening. 17 Any clothes or any leather with semen on it must be washed. It will be unclean until evening.

18 "When a man has sexual intercourse with a woman and has an emission of semen, they must wash themselves. They will be unclean until evening.

Bodily Discharges from Women 19 "When a woman has her monthly period, she will be unclean for seven days. Those who touch her will be unclean until evening. 20 Everything she lies on or sits on during her period will be unclean. 21 Those who touch her bed must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. 22 Those who touch anything she sits on must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. 23 If her blood touches anything on the bed or anything she sits on, it will be unclean until evening. 24 If a man has sexual intercourse with her while she has her period, he will be unclean for seven days. Any bed he lies on will become unclean.

25 "If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days other than her monthly period, she is unclean. If her period lasts longer than usual, she will be unclean as long as she has a discharge. It is like her period. 26 As long as she has a discharge, any bed she lies on or anything she sits on is unclean. It is like her period. 27 Those who touch these things are unclean and must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening.

28 "When her discharge stops, she must wait seven days. After that, she will be clean. 29 On the eighth day she must take two mourning doves or two pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 30 The priest will offer one as an offering for sin and the other as a burnt offering. So in Yahweh's presence the priest will make peace with the LORD for the woman who had an unclean discharge.

31 "You must separate the Israelites from anything that keeps them from being presentable to me. Otherwise, they will die because they make my tent, which is among them, unclean.

32 "These are the instructions for any man who has a discharge or an emission of semen that makes him unclean, 33 for any woman who has her period, for any man or woman who has a discharge, or for any man who has sexual intercourse with a woman when she is unclean."

The Day for Making Peace with the LORD 16 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses after Aaron's two sons had come into Yahweh's presence and died. 2 Yahweh said, "Tell your brother Aaron that he cannot go into the holy place whenever he wants to. If he goes up to the canopy and stands in front of the throne of mercy on the ark, he will die, because I appear in the smoke above the throne of mercy.

3 "This is what Aaron must do in order to come into the holy place: He must take a bull as an offering for sin and a ram as a burnt offering. 4 He must put on a holy linen robe and wear linen undergarments. He must wear a linen belt and turban. These are holy clothes. He must wash his body and put them on. 5 He will take two male goats from the congregation of Israel as an offering for sin and a ram as a burnt offering.

6 "Aaron must sacrifice the bull as his own offering for sin. By doing this, he will make peace with the LORD for himself and his family. 7 He must take the two male goats and bring them into Yahweh's presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 Then Aaron must throw lots for the two goats. One lot will be for Yahweh and the other for Azazel.a 9 Aaron must sacrifice the goat chosen by lot for Yahweh as an offering for sin. 10 But he must bring the goat chosen by lot for Azazel into Yahweh's presence. He will release it in the desert to Azazel in order to make peace with the LORD for himself and his family.

11 "Aaron will bring the bull. He will then slaughter it as his own offering for sin. By doing this he will make peace with the LORD for himself and his family. 12 He will take an incense burner full of burning coals from the altar, which is in Yahweh's presence, and two handfuls of finely ground, sweet-smelling incense. He will bring them up to the canopy. 13 Then he will put the incense on the fire in Yahweh's presence. The cloud of incense will cover the throne of mercy, which is over the words of God's promise, so that he will not die. 14 He will take some of the bull's blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the east side of the throne of mercy. Then he will sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times in front of the throne of mercy.

15 "Next, Aaron will slaughter the goat for the people's offering for sin. He will take the blood inside, go up to the canopy, and sprinkle it on the throne of mercy and in front of it, as he did with the bull's blood. 16 So he will make peace with the LORD for all the sins the Israelites committed against the holy place. These sins happened because the Israelites were unclean and because they committed rebellious acts. He will do the same for the tent of meeting which is among an unclean people. 17 No one may be in the tent of meeting from the time Aaron enters the holy place to do this until he comes out. Aaron will make peace with the LORD for his own sins, his family's sins, and the sins of the entire assembly of Israel. 18 Then he will go out to the altar that is in Yahweh's presence and make peace with the LORD there for the sins committed. He will take some of the blood from the bull and some of the goat's blood and put it all around the horns of the altar. 19 With his finger he will sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times. Because the Israelites made it unclean, he will cleanse it and declare it holy.

20 "When he finishes making peace with the LORD at the holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he will bring the living goat forward. 21 Aaron will place both hands on its head. He will confess over it all the sins, all the rebellious acts, and all the things the Israelites did wrong. He will transfer them to the goat's head. A man will be appointed to release the goat in the desert. 22 The goat will take all their sins away to a deserted place. The man must release the goat in the desert.

23 "Then Aaron will go to the tent of meeting, take off the linen clothes he had put on to go into the holy place, and leave them there. 24 He will wash his body in the holy place and put on his other clothes. Then he will come out and sacrifice the burnt offering for himself and for the people to make peace with the LORD for his own sins and the sins of the people. 25 He will burn the fat of the offering for sin on the altar.

26 "The man who released the goat to Azazel must wash his clothes and his body. Then he may return to the camp. 27 He must take the bull and the goat outside the camp. These animals were the offering for sin whose blood was brought into the holy place to make peace with the LORD for sins. The skin, meat, and excrement from the animals must be burned. 28 Whoever burns them must wash his clothes and his body. Then he may return to the camp.

29 "This will be a permanent law for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month both native Israelites and foreigners must humble themselves. They must do no work. 30 On this day Aaron will make peace with the LORD to make you clean. Then you will be clean from all your sins in Yahweh's presence. 31 This is the most important worship festival there is for you. You will humble yourselves. It is a permanent law. 32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as chief priest in his father's place will pay for sins. He will put on the holy linen clothes 33 and will make peace with the LORD at the holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar. He will make peace with the LORD for the priests and all the worshipers.

34 "This permanent law tells you how to make peace with the LORD once a year for all the sins the Israelites committed."

Aaron did as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Eating Sacrifices 17 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 2 "Tell Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites that this is what Yahweh has commanded: 3 Any Israelite who slaughters a bull, sheep, or goat inside or outside the camp 4 is guilty of bloodshed. He has shed blood and must be excluded from the people. Bring the animal to the entrance of the tent of meeting. Offer it to Yahweh in front of Yahweh's tent. 5 This means that the people of Israel must take the sacrifices they have been making in the open fields and bring them to Yahweh. They must bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The people will sacrifice them as fellowship offerings to Yahweh. 6 The priest will pour the blood against Yahweh's altar at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He will burn the fat as a soothing aroma to Yahweh. 7 The people must stop sacrificing to goat idols and chasing after them as though they were prostitutes. This is a permanent law for the people and for future generations.

8 "Tell them: If Israelites or foreigners make burnt offerings or sacrifices 9 but do not bring them to the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer them to Yahweh , they must be excluded from the people.

Eating Blood 10 "If Israelites or foreigners eat any blood, I will condemn them and exclude them from the people, 11 because blood contains life. I have given this blood to you to make peace with me on the altar. Blood is needed to make peace with me. 12 That is why I have said to the people of Israel: Neither you nor foreigners should ever eat blood.

13 "If Israelites or foreigners hunt any animal or bird that may be eaten, they must pour out the animal's blood and cover it with dirt. 14 This is because the life of any creature is in its blood. So I have said to the people of Israel: Never eat any blood, because the life of any creature is in its blood. Whoever eats blood must be excluded from the people.

15 "Native Israelites or foreigners who eat the body of an animal that dies naturally or is killed by another animal must wash their clothes and their bodies. They will be unclean until evening. Then they will be clean. 16 If they don't wash their clothes and their bodies, they will be guilty of sin."

Forbidden Sexual Practices 18 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites: I am Yahweh your Elohim. 3 You used to live in Egypt. Don't live the way the Egyptians do. I am bringing you to Canaan. Don't live the way the Canaanites do. Never live by their standards. 4 Follow my rules, and live by my standards. I am Yahweh your Elohim. 5 Live by my standards, and obey my rules. You will have life through them. I am Yahweh.

6 "Never have sexual intercourse with anyone related to you by blood. I am Yahweh.

7 "Never have sexual intercourse with your mother. She is your own mother. Never have sexual intercourse with her. 8 Never have sexual intercourse with your stepmother. She is related to you through your father. 9 Never have sexual intercourse with your stepsister, whether she is your father's daughter or your mother's daughter. It makes no difference whether or not she was born in your house. 10 Never have sexual intercourse with your granddaughter, whether she is your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter, because she is related to you. 11 Never have sexual intercourse with a daughter of your father and his wife. She is your own sister. 12 Never have sexual intercourse with your father's sister. She is your paternal aunt. 13 Never have sexual intercourse with your mother's sister. She is your maternal aunt. 14 Never have sexual intercourse with the wife of your father's brother. She, too, is your aunt. 15 Never have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife. Never have sexual intercourse with her. 16 Never have sexual intercourse with your sister-in-law. She is your brother's wife. 17 Never have sexual intercourse with a woman and her daughter or a woman and her granddaughter. They are related. Doing this is perverted. 18 While your wife is living, never marry her sister as a rival wife and have sexual intercourse with her.

19 "Never have sexual intercourse with a woman while she is unclean during her monthly period. 20 Never have sexual intercourse with your neighbor's wife and become unclean with her. 21 Never give your children as sacrifices to the god Molech by burning them alive. If you do, you are dishonoring the name of your Elohim. I am Yahweh. 22 Never have sexual intercourse with a man as with a woman. It is disgusting. 23 Never have sexual intercourse with any animal and become unclean with it. A woman must never offer herself to an animal for sexual intercourse. It is unnatural.

Punishment for Sexual Sins 24 "Do not become unclean in any of these ways. By these practices all the nations which I am forcing out of your way have become unclean. 25 The land has become unclean. I will punish it for its sins. The land will vomit out those who live in it. 26 Live by my standards, and obey my rules. Neither you nor any foreigner should ever do any of these disgusting things. 27 The people of the land who were there before you did all these disgusting things. As a result, the land has become unclean. 28 If you make the land unclean, it will vomit you out as it has vomited out the people who were there before you. 29 Whoever does any of these disgusting things must be excluded from the people. 30 So you must follow my instructions. Don't live by the standards of the people who lived there before you. What they do is disgusting. Never become unclean that way. I am Yahweh your Elohim ."

Duties of the People Toward God 19 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 2 "Tell the whole congregation of Israel: Be holy because I, Yahweh your Elohim, am holy.

3 "Respect your mother and father. Observe my days of worship. I am Yahweh your Elohim.

4 "Don't turn to worthless gods or cast metal idols. Never make any gods for yourselves. I am Yahweh your Elohim.

5 "When you bring a fellowship offering to Yahweh, sacrifice it properly so that you will be accepted. 6 Eat your sacrifice on the day you bring it and on the next day. On the third day burn whatever is left over. 7 If you eat any of it on the third day, it is repulsive and will not be accepted. 8 Those who eat it will be punished because they have dishonored what is holy to Yahweh. They must be excluded from the people.

Duties of the People Toward Each Other 9 "When you harvest the grain in your land, don't harvest the grain in the corners of your fields or gather what is left after you're finished. 10 Don't harvest your vineyard a second time or pick up fallen grapes. Leave them for poor people and foreigners. I am Yahweh your Elohim.

11 "Never steal, lie, or deceive your neighbor.

12 "Never swear by my name in order to deceive anyone. This dishonors the name of your Elohim. I am Yahweh.

13 "Never oppress or rob your neighbor. Never keep the pay you owe a hired worker overnight. 14 Never curse deaf people or put anything in the way of blind people to make them stumble. Instead, fear your Elohim. I am Yahweh.

15 "Don't be corrupt when administering justice. Never give special favors to poor people, and never show preference to important people. Judge your neighbor fairly. 16 Never gossip. Never endanger your neighbor's life. I am Yahweh.

17 "Never hate another Israelite. Be sure to correct your neighbor so that you will not be guilty of sinning along with him. 18 Never get revenge. Never hold a grudge against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am Yahweh.

Other Duties 19 "Obey my laws. Never crossbreed different kinds of animals. Never plant two kinds of crops in your field. Never wear clothes made from two kinds of material.

20 "If a man has sexual intercourse with a female slave who is engaged to another man and if her freedom was never bought or given to her, they should not be put to death. He will only pay a fine because she is a slave. 21 He must bring a ram for his guilt offering to Yahweh at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 22 In Yahweh's presence the priest will use them to make peace with the LORD for this sin. The man will be forgiven for this sin.

23 "When you come into the land and plant all kinds of fruit trees, you must not eat the fruit for the first three years. 24 In the fourth year all the fruit will be a holy offering of praise to Yahweh. 25 In the fifth year you may eat the fruit. Do this to make the trees produce more for you. I am Yahweh your Elohim.

26 "Never eat any meat with blood still in it.

"Never cast evil spells, and never consult fortunetellers.

27 "Never shave the hair on your foreheads, and never cut the edges of your beard. 28 Never slash your body to mourn the dead, and never get a tattoo. I am Yahweh.

29 "Never dishonor your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the country will turn to prostitution and be filled with people who are perverted.

30 "Observe my days of worship and respect my holy tent. I am Yahweh.

31 "Don't turn to psychics or mediums to get help. That will make you unclean. I am Yahweh your Elohim.

32 "Show respect to the elderly, and honor older people. In this way you show respect for your Elohim. I am Yahweh.

33 "Never mistreat a foreigner living in your land. 34 Foreigners living among you will be like your own people. Love them as you love yourself, because you were foreigners living in Egypt. I am Yahweh your Elohim.

35 "Don't be corrupt when administering justice concerning length, weight, or measuring liquid. 36 Use honest scales, honest weights, and honest measures. I am Yahweh your Elohim who brought you out of Egypt.

37 "Obey all my laws and all my rules, and live by them. I am Yahweh ."

Punishment for Serious Crimes 20 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites: If Israelites or foreigners living among you give one of their children as a sacrifice to the god Molech, they must be put to death. The common people must stone them to death. 3 I will condemn them and exclude them from the people. They gave one of their children to Molech, made my holy tent unclean, and dishonored my holy name. 4 If the common people ignore those who give their children to Molech and do not put them to death, 5 I will condemn them and their families. I will exclude them from the people. I will exclude from the people everyone who chases after Molech as if he were a prostitute.

6 "I will condemn people who turn to mediums and psychics and chase after them as though they were prostitutes. I will exclude them from the people.

7 "Live holy lives. Be holy because I am Yahweh your Elohim. 8 Obey my laws, and live by them. I am Yahweh who sets you apart as holy.

9 "Whoever curses his father or mother must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother and deserves to die.

10 "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife or with his neighbor's wife, both he and the woman must be put to death for their adultery. 11 Whoever has sexual intercourse with his father's wife has violated his father's marriage. Both he and his father's wife must be put to death. They deserve to die. 12 If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have done a disgusting thing and deserve to die. 13 When a man has sexual intercourse with another man as with a woman, both men are doing something disgusting and must be put to death. They deserve to die. 14 When a man marries a woman and her mother, they have done a perverted thing. The man and the two women must be burned. Never do this perverted thing. 15 A man who has sexual intercourse with an animal must be put to death. You must kill the animal, too. 16 When a woman offers herself sexually to any animal, you must kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death. They deserve to die. 17 Whoever takes his sister, his father's daughter or his mother's daughter, and has sexual intercourse does a shameful thing. They both must be publicly excluded from the people. He has had sexual intercourse with his sister and must be punished. 18 If a man has sexual intercourse with a woman while she has her monthly period, both of them have had sexual intercourse in blood. They must be excluded from the people. 19 Never have sexual intercourse with your mother's sister or your father's sister. Whoever has sexual intercourse with a close relative must be punished. 20 Whoever has sexual intercourse with his uncle's wife violates his uncle's marriage. That man and woman are guilty of sin. They will die without children. 21 Whoever marries his brother's wife violates his brother's marriage and does an unclean thing. That man and woman will have no children.

22 "If you carefully obey all my laws and my rules, the land I am bringing you to live in will not vomit you out. 23 Never follow the practices of the people I am forcing out of your way. I cannot stand them because they did all these things. 24 I have told you that you will take their land. I will give it to you as your own. It is a land flowing with milk and honey. I am Yahweh your Elohim who separated you from other people. 25 Separate clean and uncleana animals and birds. Never become disgusting by eating any animal or bird or anything that crawls on the ground. I have separated you from every unclean thing. 26 Be my holy people because I, Yahweh , am holy. I have separated you from other people to be my very own.

27 "Every man or woman who is a medium or a psychic must be put to death. They must be stoned to death because they deserve to die."

Holiness for All the Priests 21 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Tell the priests, Aaron's sons: None of you should become unclean by touching one of your relatives who has died. 2 However, you are allowed to become unclean when one of your nearest relatives dies. These relatives include your mother, father, son, daughter, or brother, 3 and especially an unmarried virgin sister who is still close to you. 4 As the head of your people, you should never become unclean. That would make you unholy.

5 "You should never mourn by shaving bald spots on your heads, shaving the edges of your beards, or slashing your bodies.

6 "Be Elohim's holy men, and don't dishonor the name of your Elohim. Be holy because you bring sacrifices by fire to Yahweh. It is the food of your Elohim. 7 You should never marry prostitutes, those who have lost their virginity, or divorced women because a priest is Elohim's holy man. 8 Be holy because you offer the food of your Elohim. Be holy because I, Yahweh, am holy. I set you apart as holy. 9 When a priest's daughter dishonors herself by becoming a prostitute, she dishonors her father. She must be burned.

Holiness for the Chief Priest 10 "The priest who is anointed with oil and wears the chief priest's clothes is chief over his brothers. He must never mourn by leaving his hair uncombed or by tearing his clothes. 11 He must never go near any dead bodies or become unclean, even for his father or mother. 12 He must not leave the holy tent of his Elohim. If he does, he will be dishonoring it, because he is dedicated with the anointing oil of his Elohim. I am Yahweh.

13 "The anointed priest must marry a virgin. 14 He must never marry a widow, a divorced woman, a woman who has lost her virginity, or a prostitute. He may only marry a virgin from his own people. 15 He must not dishonor his children among his people because I, Yahweh, set him apart as holy."

16 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 17 "Tell Aaron: If any of your descendants (now or in future generations) has a physical defect, he must never bring food to offer to Elohim. 18 Indeed, no one who has a physical defect may ever come near the altar. That means anyone who is blind or lame, who has a disfigured face, a deformity, 19 or a crippled hand or foot, 20 who is a hunchback or dwarf, who has defective sight, skin diseases, or crushed testicles. 21 If a descendant of the priest Aaron has a physical defect, he must never bring sacrifices by fire to Yahweh. He has a defect. He must never bring food to offer to Elohim. 22 He may eat the food of his Elohim -what is holy and what is very holy. 23 However, he must never come up to the canopy or to the altar, since he has a physical defect. He must never dishonor the holy places because I, Yahweh , set them apart as holy."

24 So Moses spoke to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

Eating the Priests' Share of the Sacrifice 22 1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, 2 "Tell Aaron and his sons that they must respect the holy offerings which the Israelites set apart for me. In this way they will not dishonor my holy name. I am Yahweh.

3 "Tell them: In future generations if any of your descendants, while unclean, comes near the holy offerings the Israelites set apart for Yahweh, that person must be excluded from my presence. I am Yahweh.

4 "No descendant of Aaron who has a skin disease or a discharge may eat any of the holy offerings until he is clean. Any person who has an emission of semen or touches a dead body, 5 an unclean swarming creature or an unclean person 6 will be unclean until evening. He must not eat any of the holy offerings unless he has washed himself. 7 When the sun has set, he will be clean. Then he may eat the holy offerings because they are his food. 8 He must never eat the meat of an animal that dies naturally or is killed by wild animals. It will make him unclean. I am Yahweh. 9 The priests must do what I order, or their sin will bring them death because they dishonored a holy offering. I am Yahweh, who sets them apart as holy.