Leviticus 18-20
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Prohibited Pagan Practices
18 Yahweh spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am Yahweh your God.(A) 3 Do not follow the practices of the land of Egypt,(B) where you used to live, or follow the practices of the land of Canaan,(C) where I am bringing you. You must not follow their customs.(D) 4 You are to practice My ordinances(E) and you are to keep My statutes(F) by following them; I am Yahweh your God. 5 Keep My statutes and ordinances; a person will live(G) if he does them.(H) I am Yahweh.
6 “You are not to come near(I) any close relative[a] for sexual intercourse;(J) I am Yahweh. 7 You are not to shame your father(K) by having sex with your mother. She is your mother; you must not have sexual intercourse with her. 8 You are not to have sex with your father’s wife;(L) it will shame your father.(M) 9 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s,(N) whether born at home or born elsewhere. You are not to have sex with her. 10 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, because it will shame your family.[b] 11 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife’s daughter,[c] who is adopted by[d] your father; she is your sister. 12 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your father’s sister;(O) she is your father’s close relative. 13 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your mother’s sister,(P) for she is your mother’s close relative. 14 You are not to shame your father’s brother by coming near his wife to have sexual intercourse; she is your aunt.(Q) 15 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your daughter-in-law.(R) She is your son’s wife; you are not to have sex with her. 16 You are not to have sexual intercourse with your brother’s wife; it will shame your brother.(S) 17 You are not to have sexual intercourse with a woman and her daughter.(T) You are not to marry her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter and have sex with her. They are close relatives; it is depraved.(U) 18 You are not to marry a woman as a rival to her sister and have sexual intercourse with her during her sister’s lifetime.(V)
19 “You are not to come near(W) a woman during her menstrual impurity to have sexual intercourse with her.(X) 20 You are not to have sexual intercourse with[e] your neighbor’s wife, defiling yourself with her.(Y)
21 “You are not to make any of your children pass through the fire to Molech.(Z) Do not profane the name(AA) of your God; I am Yahweh. 22 You are not to sleep with a man as with a woman;(AB) it is detestable.(AC) 23 You are not to have sexual intercourse with[f] any animal, defiling yourself with it; a woman is not to present herself to an animal to mate with it;(AD) it is a perversion.
24 “Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves by all these things. 25 The land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants.(AE) 26 But you are to keep My statutes and ordinances. You must not commit any of these detestable things—not the native or the foreigner who lives among you. 27 For the men who were in the land prior to you have committed all these detestable things, and the land has become defiled. 28 If you defile the land, it will vomit(AF) you out as it has vomited out the nations that were before you. 29 Any person who does any of these detestable practices must be cut off from his people. 30 You must keep My instruction to not do any of the detestable customs(AG) that were practiced before you, so that you do not defile yourselves by them; I am Yahweh your God.”
Laws of Holiness
19 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Speak to the entire Israelite community and tell them: Be holy(AH) because I, Yahweh your God, am holy.(AI)
3 “Each of you is to respect his mother and father.(AJ) You are to keep My Sabbaths; I am Yahweh your God. 4 Do not turn to idols(AK) or make cast images(AL) of gods for yourselves;(AM) I am Yahweh your God.
5 “When you offer a fellowship sacrifice to the Lord, sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. 6 It is to be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day, but what remains on the third day must be burned up.(AN) 7 If any is eaten on the third day, it is a repulsive thing; it will not be accepted.(AO) 8 Anyone who eats it will bear his punishment, for he has profaned what is holy to the Lord. That person must be cut off from his people.(AP)
9 “When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edge of your field or gather the gleanings(AQ) of your harvest. 10 You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor(AR) and the foreign resident;(AS) I am Yahweh your God.
11 “You must not steal.(AT) You must not act deceptively(AU) or lie(AV) to one another. 12 You must not swear falsely by My name, profaning the name of your God;(AW) I am Yahweh.
13 “You must not oppress(AX) your neighbor or rob(AY) him. The wages due a hired hand(AZ) must not remain with you until morning. 14 You must not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,(BA) but you are to fear your God;(BB) I am Yahweh.(BC)
15 “You must not act unjustly(BD) when deciding a case. Do not be partial(BE) to the poor or give preference to the rich;(BF) judge your neighbor fairly. 16 You must not go about spreading slander(BG) among your people; you must not jeopardize[g] your neighbor’s life; I am Yahweh.
17 “You must not harbor hatred against your brother.[h](BH) Rebuke your neighbor directly, and you will not incur guilt because of him.(BI) 18 Do not take revenge(BJ) or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself;(BK) I am Yahweh.
19 “You are to keep My statutes. You must not crossbreed two different kinds of your livestock, sow your fields with two kinds of seed, or put on a garment made of two kinds of material.(BL)
20 “If a man has sexual intercourse with a woman who is a slave designated for another man, but she has not been redeemed(BM) or given her freedom, there must be punishment.[i] They are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. 21 However, he must bring a ram as his restitution offering to the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(BN) 22 The priest will make atonement on his behalf before the Lord with the ram of the restitution offering for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven for the sin he committed.
23 “When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, you are to consider the fruit forbidden.[j] It will be forbidden to you for three years; it is not to be eaten. 24 In the fourth year all its fruit must be consecrated as a praise offering(BO) to the Lord. 25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way its yield will increase for you;(BP) I am Yahweh your God.
26 “You are not to eat anything with blood in it.[k](BQ) You are not to practice divination(BR) or sorcery.(BS) 27 You are not to cut off the hair at the sides of your head or mar the edge of your beard.(BT) 28 You are not to make gashes on your bodies for the dead(BU) or put tattoo marks on yourselves; I am Yahweh.
29 “Do not debase[l](BV) your daughter by making her a prostitute,(BW) or the land will be prostituted and filled with depravity. 30 You must keep My Sabbaths and revere My sanctuary;(BX) I am Yahweh.
31 “Do not turn to mediums[m](BY) or consult spiritists,[n](BZ) or you will be defiled by them; I am Yahweh your God.
32 “You are to rise in the presence of the elderly and honor the old.(CA) Fear your God; I am Yahweh.
33 “When a foreigner lives with you in your land, you must not oppress(CB) him. 34 You must regard the foreigner who lives with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself,(CC) for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt;(CD) I am Yahweh your God.
35 “You must not be unfair(CE) in measurements of length, weight, or volume. 36 You are to have honest balances,(CF) honest weights, an honest dry measure,[o] and an honest liquid measure;[p](CG) I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37 You must keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them; I am Yahweh.”
Molech Worship and Spiritism
20 The Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Say to the Israelites: Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech(CH) must be put to death; the people of the country are to stone him.(CI) 3 I will turn[q] against that man and cut him off from his people, because he gave his offspring to Molech, defiling My sanctuary(CJ) and profaning My holy name.(CK) 4 But if the people of the country look the other way when that man[r] gives any of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, 5 then I will turn[s] against that man and his family, and cut off from their people both him and all who follow[t] him in prostituting(CL) themselves with Molech.
6 “Whoever turns to mediums[u](CM) or spiritists[v] and prostitutes himself with them, I will turn[w] against that person and cut him off from his people. 7 Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am Yahweh your God. 8 Keep My statutes and do them; I am Yahweh who sets you apart.
Family and Sexual Offenses
9 “If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death.(CN) He has cursed his father or mother; his blood is on his own hands.[x]
10 If a man commits adultery(CO) with a married woman—if he commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 11 If a man sleeps with his father’s wife, he has shamed his father.(CP) Both of them must be put to death; their blood is on their own hands.[y] 12 If a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law,(CQ) both of them must be put to death. They have acted perversely; their blood is on their own hands.[z] 13 If a man sleeps with a man as with a woman,(CR) they have both committed a detestable thing.(CS) They must be put to death; their blood is on their own hands.[aa] 14 If a man marries a woman and her mother,(CT) it is depraved. Both he and they must be burned with fire,(CU) so that there will be no depravity among you. 15 If a man has sexual intercourse with[ab] an animal, he must be put to death; you are also to kill the animal. 16 If a woman comes near any animal and mates with it, you are to kill the woman and the animal.(CV) They must be put to death; their own blood is on them. 17 If a man marries his sister,(CW) whether his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, and they have sexual relations,[ac](CX) it is a disgrace.(CY) They must be cut off publicly from their people. He has had sexual intercourse with his sister; he will bear his punishment. 18 If a man sleeps with a menstruating woman and has sexual intercourse with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has uncovered the source of her blood.(CZ) Both of them must be cut off from their people. 19 You must not have sexual intercourse with your mother’s sister or your father’s sister,(DA) for it is exposing one’s own blood relative; both people will bear their punishment. 20 If a man sleeps with his aunt, he has shamed his uncle;(DB) they will bear their guilt and die childless. 21 If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is impurity.(DC) He has shamed his brother;(DD) they will be childless.
Holiness in the Land
22 “You are to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances, and do them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out.(DE) 23 You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you, for they did all these things, and I abhorred them.(DF) 24 And I promised you: You will inherit their land, since I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.(DG) I am Yahweh your God who set you apart from the peoples. 25 Therefore you must distinguish the clean animal from the unclean one, and the unclean bird from the clean one. Do not become contaminated(DH) by any land animal, bird, or whatever crawls on the ground; I have set these apart as unclean for you.(DI) 26 You are to be holy to Me because I, Yahweh, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be Mine.(DJ)
27 A man or a woman who is[ad] a medium or a spiritist must be put to death. They are to be stoned; their blood is on their own hands.”[ae]
Footnotes
- Leviticus 18:6 Lit any flesh of his flesh
- Leviticus 18:10 Lit because they are your nakedness
- Leviticus 18:11 This must refer to a daughter from a previous marriage.
- Leviticus 18:11 Lit daughter, a relative of
- Leviticus 18:20 Lit to give your emission of semen to
- Leviticus 18:23 Lit to give your emission to
- Leviticus 19:16 Lit not stand against
- Leviticus 19:17 Or your fellow Israelite
- Leviticus 19:20 Or compensation
- Leviticus 19:23 Lit uncircumcised
- Leviticus 19:26 Or [anything] over its blood
- Leviticus 19:29 Lit profane
- Leviticus 19:31 Or spirits of the dead
- Leviticus 19:31 Or familiar spirits
- Leviticus 19:36 Lit honest ephah; an ephah is a dry measure of grain equivalent to about 23 quarts.
- Leviticus 19:36 Lit honest hin; a hin is a liquid measure of about 1 gallon.
- Leviticus 20:3 Lit will set My face
- Leviticus 20:4 Lit country ever close their eyes from that man when he
- Leviticus 20:5 Lit will set My face
- Leviticus 20:5 Lit prostitute themselves with
- Leviticus 20:6 Or spirits of the dead
- Leviticus 20:6 Or familiar spirits
- Leviticus 20:6 Lit will set My face
- Leviticus 20:9 Lit on him
- Leviticus 20:11 Lit on them
- Leviticus 20:12 Lit on them
- Leviticus 20:13 Lit on them
- Leviticus 20:15 Lit man gives his emission to
- Leviticus 20:17 Lit and he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness
- Leviticus 20:27 Lit is in them
- Leviticus 20:27 Lit on them
Luke 18
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
18 He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray(A) always and not become discouraged:(B) 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God(C) or respect man. 3 And a widow(D) in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps(E) pestering me,[a] I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out[b] by her persistent coming.’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God grant justice(F) to His elect(G) who cry out to Him day and night?(H) Will He delay(I) to help them?[c] 8 I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes,(J) will He find that faith[d] on earth?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He(K) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves(L) that they were righteous(M) and looked down(N) on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple complex to pray,(O) one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee took his stand[e](P) and was praying like this: ‘God, I thank You that I’m not like other people[f] —greedy,(Q) unrighteous,(R) adulterers,(S) or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast(T) twice a week; I give a tenth[g](U) of everything I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing far off,(V) would not even raise his eyes to heaven(W) but kept striking his chest[h](X) and saying, ‘God, turn Your wrath from me[i](Y)—a sinner!’(Z) 14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified(AA) rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”(AB)
Blessing the Children
15 Some(AC) people were even bringing infants to Him so He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to Me,(AD) and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I assure you:(AE) Whoever does not welcome(AF) the kingdom of God like a little child(AG) will never enter it.”
The Rich Young Ruler
18 A(AH) ruler(AI) asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(AJ)
19 “Why do you call Me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good but One—God. 20 You know the commandments:
Do not commit adultery;
do not murder;
do not steal;
do not bear false witness;
honor your father and mother.”(AK)[j]
21 “I have kept all these from my youth,” he said.
22 When Jesus heard this, He told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor,(AL) and you will have treasure in heaven.(AM) Then come, follow Me.”(AN)
23 After he heard this, he became extremely sad,(AO) because he was very rich.
Possessions and the Kingdom
24 Seeing that he became sad,[k] Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 Those who heard this asked, “Then who can be saved?”(AP)
27 He replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”(AQ)
28 Then Peter said, “Look, we have left what we had and followed(AR) You.”
29 So He said to them, “I assure you: There is no one who has left a house, wife or brothers, parents or children because of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more at this time,(AS) and eternal life in the age to come.”
The Third Prediction of His Death
31 Then(AT) He took the Twelve aside and told them, “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem.(AU) Everything that is written(AV) through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished.(AW) 32 For He will be handed over to the Gentiles,(AX) and He will be mocked,(AY) insulted, spit(AZ) on; 33 and after they flog Him, they will kill Him, and He will rise on the third day.”(BA)
34 They understood none of these things.(BB) This saying[l](BC) was hidden(BD) from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
A Blind Man Receives His Sight
35 As(BE) He drew near Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what this meant. 37 “Jesus the Nazarene(BF) is passing by,” they told him.
38 So he called out,(BG) “Jesus, Son of David,(BH) have mercy(BI) on me!” 39 Then those in front told him to keep quiet,[m] but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him. When he drew near, He asked him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?”
“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”
42 “Receive your sight!”(BJ) Jesus told him. “Your faith has healed you.”[n](BK) 43 Instantly he could see, and he began to follow Him, glorifying God.(BL) All the people,(BM) when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Footnotes
- Luke 18:5 Lit widow causes me trouble
- Luke 18:5 Or doesn’t give me a black eye, or doesn’t ruin my reputation
- Luke 18:7 Or Will He put up with them?
- Luke 18:8 Or faith, or that kind of faith, or any faith, or the faith, or faithfulness; the faith that persists in prayer for God’s vindication
- Luke 18:11 Or Pharisee stood by himself
- Luke 18:11 Or like the rest of men
- Luke 18:12 Or give tithes
- Luke 18:13 = mourning
- Luke 18:13 Lit God, be propitious to me; = May Your wrath be turned aside by the sacrifice
- Luke 18:20 Ex 20:12-16; Dt 5:16-20
- Luke 18:24 Other mss omit he became sad
- Luke 18:34 The meaning of the saying
- Luke 18:39 Or those in front rebuked him
- Luke 18:42 Or has saved you
Acts 15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Dispute in Antioch
15 Some men(A) came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised(B) according to the custom prescribed by Moses,(C) you cannot be saved!” 2 But after Paul and Barnabas had engaged them in serious argument and debate, the church arranged for Paul and Barnabas and some others of them to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this controversy.(D) 3 When they had been sent on their way by the church,(E) they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, explaining in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and they created great joy among all the brothers.
4 When they arrived at Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.(F) 5 But some of the believers from the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses!”
The Jerusalem Council
6 Then the apostles and the elders assembled to consider this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them: “Brothers, you are aware that in the early days God made a choice among you,[a] that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the gospel message and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving[b] the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us.(G) 9 He made no distinction between us and them,(H) cleansing their hearts by faith.(I) 10 Now then, why are you testing God by putting a yoke on the disciples’ necks(J) that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe we are saved through the grace(K) of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”
12 Then the whole assembly fell silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul describing all the signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.(L) 13 After they stopped speaking, James responded: “Brothers, listen to me! 14 Simeon[c] has reported how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for His name.(M) 15 And the words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written:
16 After these things I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
I will rebuild its ruins
and set it up again,
17 so the rest of humanity
may seek the Lord—
even all the Gentiles
who are called by My name,
declares the Lord who does these things,
18 known from long ago.[d](N)[e]
19 Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but instead we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality,(O) from eating anything that has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For since ancient times, Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city, and every Sabbath day he is read aloud in the synagogues.”(P)
The Letter to the Gentile Believers
22 Then the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, decided to select men who were among them and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas,(Q) both leading men among the brothers. 23 They wrote this letter to be delivered by them:[f]
From the apostles and the elders, your brothers,
To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:(R)
Greetings.
24 Because we have heard that some without our authorization went out from us(S) and troubled you with their words and unsettled your hearts,[g](T) 25 we have unanimously(U) decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul, 26 who have risked their lives(V) for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will personally report the same things by word of mouth.[h] 28 For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—to put no greater burden on you than these necessary things:(W) 29 that you abstain from food offered to idols, from blood, from eating anything that has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.(X) You will do well if you keep yourselves from these things.
Farewell.
The Outcome of the Jerusalem Letter
30 Then, being sent off, they went down to Antioch, and after gathering the assembly, they delivered the letter. 31 When they read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Both Judas and Silas, who were also prophets themselves, encouraged the brothers and strengthened them with a long message.(Y) 33 After spending some time there, they were sent back in peace(Z) by the brothers to those who had sent them.[i][j] 35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch teaching and proclaiming the message of the Lord.(AA)
Paul and Barnabas Part Company
36 After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers in every town(AB) where we have preached the message of the Lord and see how they’re doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark.[k] 38 But Paul did not think it appropriate to take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work. 39 There was such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark(AC) with him and sailed off to Cyprus. 40 Then Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers.(AD) 41 He traveled through Syria(AE) and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Footnotes
- Acts 15:7 Other mss read us
- Acts 15:8 Other mss add them
- Acts 15:14 Simon (Peter)
- Acts 15:18 Other mss read says the Lord who does all these things. Known to God from long ago are all His works.
- Acts 15:18 Am 9:11-12; Is 45:21
- Acts 15:23 Lit Writing by their hand:
- Acts 15:24 Other mss add by saying, “Be circumcised and keep the law,”
- Acts 15:27 Lit things through word
- Acts 15:33 Other mss read the brothers to the apostles
- Acts 15:33 Other mss add v. 34: But Silas decided to stay there.
- Acts 15:37 Lit John who was called Mark
Acts 21:25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
25 With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that[a] they should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 21:25 Other mss add they should observe no such thing, except that
Acts 21:25
Holman Christian Standard Bible
25 With regard to the Gentiles who have believed, we have written a letter containing our decision that[a] they should keep themselves from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Acts 21:25 Other mss add they should observe no such thing, except that
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