12 (A)“Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. 13 (B)But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then (C)I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. 14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, (D)you shall take him from my altar, that he may die.

15 “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

16 (E)“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found (F)in possession of him, shall be put to death.

17 (G)“Whoever curses[a] his father or his mother shall be put to death.

18 “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, 19 then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed.

20 “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the (H)slave is his money.

22 “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and (I)he shall pay as the (J)judges determine. 23 But if there is harm,[b] then you shall pay (K)life for life, 24 (L)eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

26 “When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye. 27 If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth.

28 “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the (M)ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. 29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. 30 If (N)a ransom is imposed on him, then (O)he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him. 31 If it gores a man's son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. 32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master (P)thirty shekels[c] of silver, and (Q)the ox shall be stoned.

Laws About Restitution

33 “When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit shall make restoration. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his.

35 “When one man's ox butts another's, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and share its price, and the dead beast also they shall share. 36 Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:17 Or dishonors; Septuagint reviles
  2. Exodus 21:23 Or so that her children come out and it is clear who was to blame, he shall be fined as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and he alone shall pay. 23If it is unclear who was to blame…
  3. Exodus 21:32 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

Personal Injuries

12 “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.(A) 13 However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place(B) I will designate. 14 But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately,(C) that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.(D)

15 “Anyone who attacks[a] their father or mother is to be put to death.

16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death,(E) whether the victim has been sold(F) or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.(G)

18 “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist[b] and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, 19 the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

20 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.(H)

22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely[c] but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands(I) and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,(J) 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,(K) hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

26 “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. 27 And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

28 “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death,(L) and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. 29 If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up(M) and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. 30 However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.(N) 31 This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. 32 If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels[d](O) of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

33 “If anyone uncovers a pit(P) or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

35 “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. 36 However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up,(Q) the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 21:15 Or kills
  2. Exodus 21:18 Or with a tool
  3. Exodus 21:22 Or she has a miscarriage
  4. Exodus 21:32 That is, about 12 ounces or about 345 grams

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

14 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew (A)that the king's heart went out to Absalom. And Joab sent to (B)Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. (C)Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. Go to the king and speak thus to him.” So Joab (D)put the words in her mouth.

When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, (E)she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, (F)“Save me, O king.” And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, (G)“Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.’ And so they would (H)destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor (I)remnant on the face of the earth.”

Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, (J)“On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.” 10 The king said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.” 11 Then she said, “Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that (K)the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed.” He said, (L)“As the Lord lives, (M)not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.” 13 And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against (N)the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring (O)his banished one home again. 14 We must all die; we are (P)like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means (Q)so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. 15 Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16 For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from (R)the heritage of God.’ 17 And your servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,’ for my lord the king is (S)like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!”

18 Then the king answered the woman, “Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, (T)“As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; (U)it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of (V)the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.”

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage (W)and blessed the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to (X)Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king's presence.

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Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

14 Joab(A) son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. So Joab sent someone to Tekoa(B) and had a wise woman(C) brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions.(D) Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab(E) put the words in her mouth.

When the woman from Tekoa went[a] to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

The king asked her, “What is troubling you?”

She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death(F) for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir(G) as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left,(H) leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”

The king said to the woman, “Go home,(I) and I will issue an order in your behalf.”

But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “Let my lord the king pardon(J) me and my family,(K) and let the king and his throne be without guilt.(L)

10 The king replied, “If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.”

11 She said, “Then let the king invoke the Lord his God to prevent the avenger(M) of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed.”

“As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “not one hair(N) of your son’s head will fall to the ground.(O)

12 Then the woman said, “Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.”

“Speak,” he replied.

13 The woman said, “Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself,(P) for the king has not brought back his banished son?(Q) 14 Like water(R) spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die.(S) But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person(T) does not remain banished from him.

15 “And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request. 16 Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’(U)

17 “And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel(V) of God in discerning(W) good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’”

18 Then the king said to the woman, “Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.”

“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman said.

19 The king asked, “Isn’t the hand of Joab(X) with you in all this?”

The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20 Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom(Y) like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.(Z)

21 The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king.(AA) Joab said, “Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.”

23 Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 14:4 Many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts spoke

Hananiah the False Prophet

28 In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of (A)Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of (B)Azzur, the prophet from (C)Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (D)I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. (E)Within (F)two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord's house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place (G)Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, (H)for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, and the prophet Jeremiah said, (I)“Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles.

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The False Prophet Hananiah

28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah(A) king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon,(B) said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke(C) of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles(D) of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin[a](E) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”(F)

Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin

13 You have made us (A)the taunt of our neighbors,
    the derision and (B)scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us (C)a byword among the nations,
    (D)a laughingstock[a] among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me,
    and (E)shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler,
    at the sight of (F)the enemy and the avenger.

17 (G)All this has come upon us,
    though we have not forgotten you,
    and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
    nor have our (H)steps (I)departed from your way;
19 yet you have (J)broken us in the place of (K)jackals
    and covered us with (L)the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
    or (M)spread out our hands to (N)a foreign god,
21 (O)would not God discover this?
    (P)For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet (Q)for your sake we are killed all the day long;
    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

23 (R)Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord?
    Rouse yourself! (S)Do not reject us forever!
24 Why (T)do you hide your face?
    Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our (U)soul is bowed down to the dust;
    our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; (V)come to our help!
    (W)Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 44:14 Hebrew a shaking of the head

13 You have made us a reproach(A) to our neighbors,(B)
    the scorn(C) and derision(D) of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword(E) among the nations;
    the peoples shake their heads(F) at us.
15 I live in disgrace(G) all day long,
    and my face is covered with shame(H)
16 at the taunts(I) of those who reproach and revile(J) me,
    because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.(K)

17 All this came upon us,
    though we had not forgotten(L) you;
    we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned(M) back;
    our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed(N) us and made us a haunt for jackals;(O)
    you covered us over with deep darkness.(P)

20 If we had forgotten(Q) the name of our God
    or spread out our hands to a foreign god,(R)
21 would not God have discovered it,
    since he knows the secrets of the heart?(S)
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep(T) to be slaughtered.(U)

23 Awake,(V) Lord! Why do you sleep?(W)
    Rouse yourself!(X) Do not reject us forever.(Y)
24 Why do you hide your face(Z)
    and forget(AA) our misery and oppression?(AB)

25 We are brought down to the dust;(AC)
    our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up(AD) and help us;
    rescue(AE) us because of your unfailing love.(AF)

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The Pharisees Demand a Sign

11 (A)The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, (B)seeking from him (C)a sign from heaven (D)to test him. 12 And (E)he sighed deeply (F)in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And (G)he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; (H)beware of (I)the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of (J)Herod.”[a] 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And (K)Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? (L)Do you not yet perceive (M)or understand? (N)Are your hearts hardened? 18 (O)Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke (P)the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And (Q)the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 8:15 Some manuscripts the Herodians

11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.(A) 12 He sighed deeply(B) and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15 “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast(C) of the Pharisees(D) and that of Herod.”(E)

16 They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?(F) 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,”(G) they replied.

20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”(H)

21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”(I)

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No One Is Righteous

What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off?[b] No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both (A)Jews and (B)Greeks, are (C)under sin, 10 as it is written:

(D)“None is righteous, no, not one;
11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”
13 (E)“Their throat is (F)an open grave;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
(G)“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14     (H)“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 (I)“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and (J)the way of peace they have not known.”
18     (K)“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever (L)the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, (M)so that every mouth may be stopped, and (N)the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For (O)by works of the law no human being[c] will be justified in his sight, since (P)through the law comes knowledge of sin.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:9 Greek Are we
  2. Romans 3:9 Or at any disadvantage?
  3. Romans 3:20 Greek flesh

No One Is Righteous

What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?(A) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.(B) 10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[a](C)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[b](D)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c](E)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d](F)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[e](G)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f](H)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(I) it says to those who are under the law,(J) so that every mouth may be silenced(K) and the whole world held accountable to God.(L) 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law;(M) rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  2. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  4. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  5. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  6. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1