Leviticus 22

1 The Lord told Moses,

2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to be dedicated when dealing with the holy offerings that the Israelites have dedicated to me, so that they don't dishonor my holy character. I am the Lord.

3 Tell them: These rules apply for all future generations. If any of your descendants in an unclean state comes close to the holy offerings that the Israelites dedicate to honor the Lord, that person must be expelled from my presence. I am the Lord.

4 If one of Aaron's descendants has a skin disease or a discharge, he is not allowed to eat the holy offerings until he is clean. Anyone who touches anything made unclean by a dead body or by a man who has had a release of semen,

5 or anyone who touches an unclean animal or an unclean person, (whatever the uncleanness is),

6 anyone who touches anything like this will remain unclean until evening. He is not allowed to eat from the holy offerings unless he has washed himself with water.

7 At sunset he will become clean, and then he is allowed to eat from the holy offerings because they provide his food.

8 He must not eat anything that's died, or killed by wild animals, because that would make him unclean. I am the Lord.

9 The priests must do as I demand, so that they don't become guilty and die because they have not done so, treating my requirements with contempt. I am the Lord who makes them holy.

10 Anyone who isn't part of a priest's family is not allowed eat the holy offerings. This also applies to a priest's guest or his paid worker.

11 However, if a priest uses his own money to buy a slave, or if a slave is born in the priest's household, then that slave is allowed to eat his food.

12 If the priest's daughter gets married to a man who isn't a priest, she is not allowed to eat the holy offerings.

13 But if a priest's daughter without children is widowed or divorced and goes back to her father's house, she is allowed to eat her father's food as she did when she was growing up. But no one outside the priest's family can eat it.

14 Anyone who eats a holy offering by mistake must pay compensation by adding a fifth to its value, and give it all to the priest.

15 The priests must not make the holy offerings the Israelites present to the Lord unclean

16 by allowing the people to eat them and in so doing take upon themselves the punishment for guilt. For I am the Lord who makes them holy.”

17 The Lord told Moses,

18 “Tell Aaron, his sons and all the Israelites: If you or foreigner living with you wants to make a gift as a burnt offering to the Lord, whether it's to fulfill a promise or as a freewill offering, this is what you are to do.

19 If it is to be accepted on your behalf you must offer a male without defects from the herds of cattle, sheep, or goats.

20 Don't present anything with a defect because it won't be accepted on your behalf.

21 If you want to present a peace offering to the Lord from the herd or flock to fulfill a promise or as a freewill offering, in order to be acceptable the animal must be perfect, completely without defects.

22 Don't present to the Lord an animal that is blind, injured, or damaged in some way, or has warts, skin sores, or scabs. Don't place any animal that has these on the altar as a food offering to the Lord.

23 However, you can present a freewill offering of a bull or sheep that has a leg that is too long or too short, but not if it is a sacrifice to fulfill a promise.

24 Don't present to the Lord an animal with testicles that are accidentally or deliberately damaged. You are not allowed to sacrifice any of these damaged animals in your land.

25 Nor are you allowed to accept such animals from a foreigner to be damaged and defective.”

26 The Lord told Moses,

27 “When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, it must stay with its mother for seven days. After eight days it can be accepted as a food offering to the Lord.

28 However, don't kill a bull or a sheep and its young on the same day.

29 When you present a thank offering to the Lord, make sure to do so in a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.

30 It has to be eaten on the same day. Don't leave any of it until morning. I am the Lord.

31 Keep my rules and put them into practice. I am the Lord.

32 Don't disgrace my holy character. I must be accepted as holy by you. I am the Lord who makes you holy.

33 I am the one who led you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.”