Various Laws

25 (A)If there is a dispute between people and they go to [a]court, and [b]the judges decide their case, (B)and they declare the righteous innocent and pronounce the wicked guilty, then it shall be if the wicked person [c](C)deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and have him beaten in his presence with the number of lashes according to his [d]wrongful act. (D)He may have him beaten forty times, but not more, so that he does not have him beaten with many more lashes than these, and that your brother does not (E)become contemptible in your eyes.

(F)You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.

“When brothers live together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. (G)Her husband’s brother shall have relations with her and take her to himself as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. It shall then be that the firstborn to whom she gives birth shall [e]assume the name of his father’s deceased brother, so that (H)his name will not be wiped out from Israel. (I)But if the man does not desire to take his brother’s widow, then his brother’s widow shall go up to the gate to the elders, and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to establish a name for his brother in Israel; he is not willing to perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ Then the elders of his city shall summon him and speak to him. And if he persists and says, ‘I do not desire to take her,’ (J)then his brother’s widow shall come up to him in the sight of the elders, and pull his sandal off his foot and (K)spit in his face; and she shall [f]declare, ‘This is what is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house!’ 10 And in Israel [g]his family shall be called by the name, ‘The house of him whose sandal was removed.’

11 “If two men, a man and his countryman, have a fight [h]with each other, and the wife of one comes up to save her husband from the hand of the one who is hitting him, and she reaches out with her hand and grasps [i]that man’s genitals, 12 then you shall cut off her [j]hand; [k](L)you shall not show pity.

13 (M)You shall not have in your bag [l]differing weights, a large and a small. 14 You shall not have in your house [m]differing measures, a large and a small. 15 You shall have a correct and honest [n]weight; you shall have a correct and honest [o]measure, (N)so that your days may be prolonged [p]in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For (O)everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the Lord your God.

17 (P)Remember what Amalek did to you on the way when you came out of Egypt, 18 how he confronted you on the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were tired and weary; and he (Q)did not [q]fear God. 19 So it shall come about, when the Lord your God has given you (R)rest from all your surrounding enemies in the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to [r]possess, that you shall wipe out the mention of the name Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.

Offering First Fruits

26 “Then it shall be, when you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it and live in it, that you shall take some of (S)the first of all the produce of the ground which you bring in from your land that the Lord your God gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and (T)go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name. And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord [s]my God that I have entered the land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it before the altar of the Lord your God. And you shall respond and say before the Lord your God, ‘(U)My father was a [t]wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt and [u]resided there, (V)few in number; but there he became a (W)great, mighty, and populous nation. And the (X)Egyptians treated us badly and oppressed us, and imposed hard labor on us. Then (Y)we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our wretched condition, our trouble, and our oppression; (Z)and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand, an outstretched arm, and with great terror, and with signs and wonders; and He has brought us to this place, and has given us this land, (AA)a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 And now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground (AB)which You, Lord have given me.’ Then you shall set it before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God; 11 and you, (AC)the Levite, and the stranger who is among you shall (AD)rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.

12 (AE)When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, then you shall give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the [v]orphan, and to the widow, so that they may eat in your [w]towns and be satisfied. 13 And you shall say before the Lord your God, ‘I have removed the sacred portion from my house, and have also given it to the Levite, the stranger, the [x]orphan, and the widow, in accordance with all Your commandments which You have commanded me; (AF)I have not violated or forgotten any of Your commandments. 14 I have not eaten of it while mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean, nor offered any of it to the dead. I have listened to the voice of the Lord my God; I have acted in accordance with everything that You have commanded me. 15 (AG)Look down from Your holy dwelling place, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the ground which You have given us, (AH)a land flowing with milk and honey just as You swore to our fathers.’

16 “This day the Lord your God commands you to perform these statutes and ordinances. Therefore you shall be careful to perform them (AI)with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 (AJ)Today you have declared the Lord to be your God, and [y]that you will walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments, and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. 18 And the Lord has today declared you to be (AK)His people, His personal possession, just as He promised you, and [z]that you are to keep all His commandments; 19 and [aa]that He will (AL)put you high above all the nations which He has made, for glory, fame, and honor; and that you shall be (AM)a consecrated people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken.”

The Curses at Mount Ebal

27 Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, “Keep all the commandments which I am commanding you today. (AN)So it shall be on the day when you cross the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourself large stones and coat them with lime and write on them all the words of this Law, when you cross over, so that you may enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, (AO)a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, [ab]promised you. So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up these stones (AP)on Mount Ebal, [ac]as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you (AQ)shall not wield an iron tool on them. You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of [ad]uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God; and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and (AR)rejoice before the Lord your God. You shall write on the [ae]stones all the words of this Law very clearly.”

Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying, “Be silent and listen, Israel! This day you have become a people for the Lord your God. 10 So you shall [af]obey the Lord your God, and do His commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today.”

11 Moses also commanded the people on that day, saying, 12 “When you cross the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on (AS)Mount Gerizim to bless the people: (AT)Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 For the curse, these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 The Levites shall then respond and say to all the people of Israel with a loud voice,

15 ‘Cursed is the person who makes (AU)a carved image or cast metal image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And (AV)all the people shall reply and say, ‘Amen.’

16 (AW)Cursed is one who treats his father or mother contemptuously.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

17 (AX)Cursed is one who displaces his neighbor’s boundary marker.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

18 (AY)Cursed is one who misleads a person who is blind on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

19 (AZ)Cursed is one who distorts the justice due a stranger, an [ag]orphan, or a widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

20 (BA)Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, because he has [ah]uncovered his father’s garment.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

21 (BB)Cursed is one who has sexual intercourse with any animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

22 (BC)Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or of his mother.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

23 (BD)Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

24 (BE)Cursed is he who attacks his neighbor in secret.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

25 (BF)Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to attack an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

26 (BG)Cursed is anyone who does not fulfill the words of this Law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 25:1 Lit the judgment
  2. Deuteronomy 25:1 Lit they judge them
  3. Deuteronomy 25:2 Lit is a son of beating
  4. Deuteronomy 25:2 Or guilt
  5. Deuteronomy 25:6 Lit stand on
  6. Deuteronomy 25:9 Lit answer and say
  7. Deuteronomy 25:10 Lit his name shall be called
  8. Deuteronomy 25:11 Lit together
  9. Deuteronomy 25:11 Lit his
  10. Deuteronomy 25:12 Lit palm
  11. Deuteronomy 25:12 Lit your eye
  12. Deuteronomy 25:13 Lit a stone and a stone
  13. Deuteronomy 25:14 Lit an ephah and an ephah
  14. Deuteronomy 25:15 Lit stone
  15. Deuteronomy 25:15 Lit ephah
  16. Deuteronomy 25:15 Lit on the ground
  17. Deuteronomy 25:18 Or revere
  18. Deuteronomy 25:19 Lit possess it
  19. Deuteronomy 26:3 As in LXX; MT your
  20. Deuteronomy 26:5 Or perishing
  21. Deuteronomy 26:5 Or lived as a foreigner
  22. Deuteronomy 26:12 Or fatherless
  23. Deuteronomy 26:12 Lit gates
  24. Deuteronomy 26:13 Or fatherless
  25. Deuteronomy 26:17 Lit to walk in
  26. Deuteronomy 26:18 Lit to keep all
  27. Deuteronomy 26:19 Lit to put you
  28. Deuteronomy 27:3 Lit spoke to
  29. Deuteronomy 27:4 Lit which
  30. Deuteronomy 27:6 Lit intact
  31. Deuteronomy 27:8 I.e., stones coated with lime, cf. v 4
  32. Deuteronomy 27:10 Lit listen to the voice of
  33. Deuteronomy 27:19 Or fatherless
  34. Deuteronomy 27:20 Idiom for violated his father’s marriage

25 When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges(A) will decide the case,(B) acquitting(C) the innocent and condemning the guilty.(D) If the guilty person deserves to be beaten,(E) the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves, but the judge must not impose more than forty lashes.(F) If the guilty party is flogged more than that, your fellow Israelite will be degraded in your eyes.(G)

Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.(H)

If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her.(I) The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.(J)

However, if a man does not want to marry his brother’s wife,(K) she shall go to the elders at the town gate(L) and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to carry on his brother’s name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me.”(M) Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals,(N) spit in his face(O) and say, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” 10 That man’s line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled.

11 If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, 12 you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity.(P)

13 Do not have two differing weights in your bag—one heavy, one light.(Q) 14 Do not have two differing measures in your house—one large, one small. 15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long(R) in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 16 For the Lord your God detests anyone who does these things, anyone who deals dishonestly.(S)

17 Remember what the Amalekites(T) did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. 18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.(U) 19 When the Lord your God gives you rest(V) from all the enemies(W) around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek(X) from under heaven. Do not forget!

Firstfruits and Tithes

26 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, take some of the firstfruits(Y) of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name(Z) and say to the priest in office at the time, “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to the land the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. Then you shall declare before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering(AA) Aramean,(AB) and he went down into Egypt with a few people(AC) and lived there and became a great nation,(AD) powerful and numerous. But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer,(AE) subjecting us to harsh labor.(AF) Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice(AG) and saw(AH) our misery,(AI) toil and oppression.(AJ) So the Lord brought us out of Egypt(AK) with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,(AL) with great terror and with signs and wonders.(AM) He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;(AN) 10 and now I bring the firstfruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me.(AO)” Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. 11 Then you and the Levites(AP) and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice(AQ) in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth(AR) of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe,(AS) you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then say to the Lord your God: “I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.(AT) 14 I have not eaten any of the sacred portion while I was in mourning, nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean,(AU) nor have I offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the Lord my God; I have done everything you commanded me. 15 Look down from heaven,(AV) your holy dwelling place, and bless(AW) your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Follow the Lord’s Commands

16 The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.(AX) 17 You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him.(AY) 18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession(AZ) as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise,(BA) fame and honor high above all the nations(BB) he has made and that you will be a people holy(BC) to the Lord your God, as he promised.

The Altar on Mount Ebal

27 Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands(BD) that I give you today. When you have crossed the Jordan(BE) into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones(BF) and coat them with plaster.(BG) Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey,(BH) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal,(BI) as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. Build there an altar(BJ) to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool(BK) on them. Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. Sacrifice fellowship offerings(BL) there, eating them and rejoicing(BM) in the presence of the Lord your God.(BN) And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones(BO) you have set up.”(BP)

Curses From Mount Ebal

Then Moses and the Levitical(BQ) priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.(BR) 10 Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”

11 On the same day Moses commanded the people:

12 When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim(BS) to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar,(BT) Joseph and Benjamin.(BU) 13 And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal(BV) to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.

14 The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:

15 “Cursed is anyone who makes an idol(BW)—a thing detestable(BX) to the Lord, the work of skilled hands—and sets it up in secret.”

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”(BY)

16 “Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.”(BZ)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

17 “Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor’s boundary stone.”(CA)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

18 “Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road.”(CB)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

19 “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner,(CC) the fatherless or the widow.”(CD)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

20 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he dishonors his father’s bed.”(CE)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

21 “Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal.”(CF)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

22 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.”(CG)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

23 “Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law.”(CH)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

24 “Cursed is anyone who kills(CI) their neighbor secretly.”(CJ)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

25 “Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.”(CK)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

26 “Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”(CL)

Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”(CM)

Follow the Spirit

(A)It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore (B)keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a (C)yoke of slavery.

Look! I, (D)Paul, tell you that if you have yourselves (E)circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I (F)testify again to every man who has himself (G)circumcised, that he is obligated to (H)keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who [a]are seeking to be justified by the [b]Law; you have (I)fallen from grace. For we, [c]through the Spirit, [d]by faith, are (J)waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in (K)Christ Jesus (L)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but (M)faith working through love.

You were (N)running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from (O)Him who calls you. (P)A little [e]leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 (Q)I have confidence [f]in you in the Lord, that you (R)will adopt no other view; but the one who is (S)disturbing you will bear the punishment, whoever he is. 11 But as for me, brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still (T)persecuted? Then (U)the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. 12 I wish that (V)those who are troubling you would even [g](W)emasculate themselves.

13 For you were called to (X)freedom, brothers and sisters; (Y)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but (Z)serve one another through love. 14 For (AA)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “(AB)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you (AC)bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

16 But I say, (AD)walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out (AE)the desire of the flesh. 17 For (AF)the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, (AG)in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. 18 But if you are (AH)led by the Spirit, (AI)you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: (AJ)sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, 20 idolatry, (AK)witchcraft, hostilities, (AL)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, (AM)selfish ambition, dissensions, (AN)factions, 21 envy, (AO)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not (AP)inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But (AQ)the fruit of the Spirit is (AR)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, (AS)self-control; against such things (AT)there is no law. 24 Now those who [h]belong to (AU)Christ Jesus (AV)crucified the flesh with its passions and (AW)desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow (AX)the Spirit as well. 26 Let’s not become (AY)boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:4 Or would be
  2. Galatians 5:4 Or law
  3. Galatians 5:5 Lit by
  4. Galatians 5:5 Lit out of
  5. Galatians 5:9 I.e., fermented dough
  6. Galatians 5:10 Lit toward
  7. Galatians 5:12 Or cut themselves off
  8. Galatians 5:24 Lit are of Christ Jesus

Freedom in Christ

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.(A) Stand firm,(B) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.(C)

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(D) Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.(E) You who are trying to be justified by the law(F) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(G) For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(H) For in Christ Jesus(I) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(J) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(K)

You were running a good race.(L) Who cut in on you(M) to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(N) “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(O) 10 I am confident(P) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(Q) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(R) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(S) In that case the offense(T) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(U) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(V) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a];(W) rather, serve one another(X) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](Y) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(Z) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(AA) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(AB) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want.(AC) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(AD) you are not under the law.(AE)

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(AF) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(AG) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(AH)

22 But the fruit(AI) of the Spirit is love,(AJ) joy, peace,(AK) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(AL) Against such things there is no law.(AM) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(AN) with its passions and desires.(AO) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(AP) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(AQ) provoking and envying each other.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
  2. Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
  3. Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what