Leviticus 18

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the LORD your God.

Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: I am the Lord your God.

3 You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs.

You shall not act according to the custom of the land of Egypt, in which you have lived; nor shall you behave according to the habit of the region of Canaan, into which I will lead you; neither shall you walk in their ordinances.

4 You are to practice My judgments and keep My statutes by walking in them. I am the LORD your God.

You shall accomplish my judgments, and you shall observe my precepts, and you shall walk in them. I am the Lord your God.

5 Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.

Keep my laws and judgments; when a man does these, he shall live by them. I am the Lord.

6 None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.

No man shall approach her who is a close blood-relative to him, so as to uncover her nakedness. I am the Lord.

7 You must not expose the nakedness of your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual relations with her.

You shall not expose the nakedness of your father, or the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness.

8 You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.

You shall not expose the nakedness of your father’s wife; for it is the nakedness of your father.

9 You must 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.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, whether from father or from mother, whether she was born at home or abroad.

10 You must not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for that would shame your family.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or your daughter’s daughter; for it is your own nakedness.

11 You must not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, whom she bore to your father, and who is your sister.

12 You must not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.

You shall not expose the nakedness of your father’s sister; for she is the flesh of your father.

13 You must not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, because she is the flesh of your mother.

14 You must not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations with her; she is your aunt.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, nor shall you approach his wife, who is joined to you by affinity.

15 You must not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; you are not to have sexual relations with her.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law, for she is your son’s wife; neither shall you expose her dishonor.

16 You must not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would shame your brother.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; for it is the nakedness of your brother.

17 You must not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. You are not to marry her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter and have sexual relations with her. They are close relatives; it is depraved.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your wife and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, so as to uncover her dishonor; for they are her flesh, and such sexual intercourse is incest.

18 You must not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is still alive.

You shall not take your wife’s sister as a rival mistress; nor shall you uncover her nakedness, while your wife is still living.

19 You must not approach a woman to have sexual relations with her during her menstrual period.

You shall not approach a woman who is undergoing menstruation, nor shall you uncover her foulness.

20 You must not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife and thus defile yourself with her.

You shall not have sexual intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, nor shall you be defiled by the mingling of seed.

21 You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

You shall not give some of your seed to be consecrated to the idol Moloch, nor to pollute the name of your God. I am the Lord.

22 You must not lie with a man as with a woman; that is an abomination.

You shall not commit sexual acts with a male, in place of sexual intercourse with a female, for this is an abomination.

23 You must not lie carnally with any animal, thus defiling yourself with it; a woman must not stand before an animal to mate with it; that is a perversion.

You shall not commit sexual acts with any animal, nor shall you be defiled by it. A woman shall not lie down with a beast, nor commit sexual acts with it; for this is wickedness.

24 Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves.

Do not pollute yourselves with any of these things, by which all of the nations, which I will cast out in your sight, have been contaminated

25 Even the land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants.

and by which the land has been polluted. I will visit the wickedness of the land, so that it may vomit out its inhabitants.

26 But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances, and you must not commit any of these abominations—neither your native-born nor the foreigner who lives among you.

Keep my ordinances and judgments, and do not do any of these abominations: the native born, as well as the settler, who sojourns among you.

27 For the men who were in the land before you committed all these abominations, and the land has become defiled.

For all these detestable things were done by the inhabitants of the land who were here before you, and they have polluted it.

28 So if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it spewed out the nations before you.

Therefore, beware, lest in a similar manner, it may vomit you out as well, if you do these same things, just as it vomited out the people who were before you.

29 Therefore anyone who commits any of these abominations must be cut off from among his people.

Every soul who shall commit any of these abominations shall perish from the midst of his people.

30 You must keep My charge not to practice any of the abominable customs that were practiced before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them. I am the LORD your God.”

Keep my commandments. Do not be willing to do the things which have been done by those who were before you, and do not be polluted by these things. I am the Lord your God.