Leviticus 22

1 Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

2 "Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am Jehovah.

“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, 'If anyone of all your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy things, which the children of Israel make holy to Jehovah, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am Jehovah.

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 "'No man of the descendants of Aaron is a leper or has an issue, may eat of the holy things, until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, a man who has had a seminal emission;

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 whoever touches any crawling creature, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatever uncleanness he has;

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

6 the person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his body in water.

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 When the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread.

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

8 That which dies of itself, or is torn by animals, he shall not eat, defiling himself by it. I am Jehovah.

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

9 "'They shall therefore follow my requirements, lest they bear sin for it, and die because of it, if they profane it. I am Jehovah who sanctifies them.

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 "'No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

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 But if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and such as are born in his house, they shall eat of his bread.

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 a priest's daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things.

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 is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father's house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father's bread: but no stranger shall eat any of it.

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 "'If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest.

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 shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to Jehovah,

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

16 and so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt, when they eat their holy things: for I am Jehovah who sanctifies them.'"

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 Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

18 "Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, 'Any man of the house of Israel or the foreigners who sojourn in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their freewill offerings, which they offer to Jehovah for a burnt offering;

“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 that you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without blemish, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats.

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 But whatever has a blemish, that you shall not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

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

21 Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Jehovah to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish in it.

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 Blind, injured, maimed, having a wart, festering, or having a running sore, you shall not offer these to Jehovah, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Jehovah.

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 Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

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 That which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut, you shall not offer to Jehovah; neither shall you do thus in your land.

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 Neither shall you offer the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner of any of these; because their corruption is in them. There is a blemish in them. They shall not be accepted for you.'"

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

26 Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

27 "When a bull, or a sheep, or a goat, is born, then it shall remain seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to Jehovah.

“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 Whether it is an ox or a sheep, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.

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

29 "When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Jehovah, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.

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 shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am Jehovah.

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

31 "Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Jehovah.

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

32 You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am Jehovah who makes you holy,

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

33 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am Jehovah."

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