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Moral and Religious Laws

19 The Lord told Moses (A) to say to the community of Israel:

I am the Lord your God. I am holy, and you must be holy too!

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Various Laws

19 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel(A) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,(B) am holy.(C)

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(A) When you harvest your grain, always leave some of it standing along the edges of your fields and don't pick up what falls on the ground. 10 Don't strip your grapevines clean or gather the grapes that fall off the vines. Leave them for the poor and for those foreigners who live among you. I am the Lord your God.

11 (B) Do not steal or tell lies or cheat others.

12 (C) Do not misuse my name by making promises you don't intend to keep. I am the Lord your God.

13 (D) Do not steal anything or cheat anyone, and don't fail to pay your workers at the end of each day.[a]

14 (E) I am the Lord your God, and I command you not to make fun of the deaf or to cause a blind person to stumble.

15 (F) Be fair, no matter who is on trial—don't favor either the poor or the rich.

16 Don't be a gossip, but never hesitate to speak up in court, especially if your testimony can save someone's life.[b]

17 (G) Don't hold grudges. On the other hand, it's wrong not to correct someone who needs correcting. 18 (H) Don't be angry or try to take revenge. I am the Lord, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.

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Footnotes

  1. 19.13 to pay … end of each day: Day laborers needed their wages to buy food for their evening meal, which was the main meal of the day.
  2. 19.16 but never … someone's life: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges(A) of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.(B) 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time(C) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.(D) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.(E) I am the Lord your God.

11 “‘Do not steal.(F)

“‘Do not lie.(G)

“‘Do not deceive one another.(H)

12 “‘Do not swear falsely(I) by my name(J) and so profane(K) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

13 “‘Do not defraud or rob(L) your neighbor.(M)

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker(N) overnight.(O)

14 “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,(P) but fear your God.(Q) I am the Lord.

15 “‘Do not pervert justice;(R) do not show partiality(S) to the poor or favoritism to the great,(T) but judge your neighbor fairly.(U)

16 “‘Do not go about spreading slander(V) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.(W) I am the Lord.

17 “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.(X) Rebuke your neighbor frankly(Y) so you will not share in their guilt.

18 “‘Do not seek revenge(Z) or bear a grudge(AA) against anyone among your people,(AB) but love your neighbor(AC) as yourself.(AD) I am the Lord.

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