On Human Sacrifice and Immoralities

20 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “You shall also say to the sons of Israel:

‘Anyone from the sons of Israel or from the strangers residing in Israel (A)who gives any of his [a]children to Molech, shall certainly be put to death; (B)the people of the land shall stone him with stones. I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his [b]children to Molech, (C)so as to defile My sanctuary and (D)to profane My holy name. If the people of the land, however, [c]should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his [d]children to Molech, so as not to put him to death, then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the prostitute with him, by playing the prostitute with Molech.

‘As for the person who turns to [e](E)mediums and to spiritists, to play the prostitute with them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and (F)be holy, for I am the Lord your God. So (G)you shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

(H)If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall certainly be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and has brought his [f]own death upon himself.

10 (I)If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. 11 (J)If there is a man who sleeps with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death, they have brought their [g]own deaths upon themselves. 12 (K)If there is a man who sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed [h]incest, and have brought their [i]own deaths upon themselves. 13 (L)If there is a man who sleeps with a male as those who sleep with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they must be put to death. They have brought their [j]own deaths upon themselves. 14 (M)If there is a man who [k]marries a woman and her mother, it is an outrageous sin; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no such outrageous sin in your midst. 15 (N)If there is a man who has sexual intercourse with an animal, he must be put to death; you shall also kill the animal. 16 If there is a woman who approaches any animal to [l]mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they must be put to death. They have brought their [m]own deaths upon themselves.

17 (O)If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt. 18 (P)If there is a man who sleeps with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has exposed her flow, and she has uncovered the flow of her blood; so both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 19 (Q)You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has uncovered his [n]blood relative; they will bear their guilt. 20 (R)If there is a man who sleeps with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless. 21 (S)If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is [o]detestable; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless.

22 ‘You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances, and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to [p]live will not (T)vomit you out. 23 Furthermore, you shall not [q]follow (U)the customs of the nation which I am going to drive out before you, because they did all these things; (V)therefore I have felt disgust for them. 24 So I have said to you, “(W)You are to take possession of their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God, who has (X)singled you out from the peoples. 25 (Y)You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make [r]yourselves detestable by animal or by bird, or by anything [s]that crawls on the ground, which I have distinguished for you as unclean. 26 So you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I (Z)have singled you out from the peoples to be Mine.

27 ‘Now a man or a woman (AA)who is a medium or a spiritist [t]must be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; they have brought their [u]own deaths upon themselves.’”

Regulations concerning Priests

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:

(AB)No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people, (AC)except for his relatives who are nearest to him, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother, also for his virgin sister who is near to him [v]because she has not had a husband; for her, he may defile himself. He shall not defile himself as a [w]relative by marriage among his people, so as to profane himself. (AD)They shall not shave any area on their heads bald, (AE)nor shave off the edges of their beards, (AF)nor make any cuts in their flesh. They shall be holy to their God and (AG)not profane the name of their God, because they present the offerings by fire [x]to the Lord, (AH)the food of their God; so they shall be holy. (AI)They shall not take a woman who is a prostitute and [y]profaned, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God. You shall consecrate him, therefore, because he offers (AJ)the food of your God. He shall be holy to you; for I the Lord, who sanctifies you, am holy. (AK)Also the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by prostitution, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.

10 ‘The priest who is [z]highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and [aa]who has been consecrated to wear the garments, (AL)shall not [ab]uncover his head nor tear his clothes; 11 (AM)nor shall he approach any dead person, nor defile himself even for his father or his mother; 12 (AN)nor shall he leave the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for (AO)the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the Lord. 13 He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 (AP)A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by prostitution, these he shall not take; but rather he is to [ac]marry a virgin of his own people, 15 so that he will not profane his [ad]children among his people; for I am the Lord who sanctifies him.’”

16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘None of your [ae]descendants throughout their generations who has an impairment shall approach to offer the (AQ)food of his God. 18 (AR)For no one who has an impairment shall approach: a man who is blind, or one who limps, or one who has a (AS)slit nose, or one with any conspicuous feature, 19 or someone who has a broken foot or broken hand, 20 or a contorted back, or one who is a dwarf, or has a spot in his eye, or a festering rash or scabs, or (AT)crushed testicles. 21 No man among the [af]descendants of Aaron the priest who has an impairment is to come forward to offer the Lords offerings by fire; since he has an impairment, he shall not come forward to offer (AU)the food of his God. 22 He may eat (AV)the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, 23 only he shall not come up to the veil or approach the altar, since he has an impairment, so that he does not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’” 24 So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.

Various Rules for Priests

22 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they dedicate to Me, so as not to profane My holy name; I am the Lord. Say to them, ‘(AW)Any man among all your [ag]descendants throughout your generations who approaches the holy gifts which the sons of Israel consecrate to the Lord, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from My presence; I am the Lord. (AX)No man of the [ah]descendants of Aaron, who has [ai]leprosy or has a discharge, may eat of the holy gifts until he is clean. (AY)And one who touches anything made unclean by a corpse, or (AZ)a man who has a seminal emission, or (BA)a man who touches any swarming things by which he is made unclean, or touches any person by whom he is made unclean, whatever his uncleanness; a [aj]person who touches any such thing shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat of the holy gifts unless he has bathed his [ak]body in water. But when the sun sets, he will be clean, and afterward he may eat of the holy gifts, for (BB)it is his [al]food. He shall not eat (BC)an animal which dies or is torn by animals, becoming unclean by it; I am the Lord. They shall therefore perform their (BD)duty to Me, so that (BE)they do not bear sin because of it and die by it because they profane it; I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

10 (BF)No [am]layman, however, is to eat the holy gift; a foreign resident with the priest or a hired worker shall not eat the holy gift. 11 (BG)But if a priest buys a [an]slave as his property with his money, [ao]that person may eat of it, and those who are born in his house may eat of his [ap]food. 12 If a priest’s daughter is married to a [aq]layman, she shall not eat of the [ar]offering of the holy gifts. 13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or divorced, and has no child and returns to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s [as]food; (BH)but no [at]layman shall eat of it. 14 (BI)If, however, someone eats a holy food unintentionally, then he shall add to it a fifth of it and shall give the holy food to the priest. 15 And (BJ)they shall not profane the holy gifts of the sons of Israel, which they offer to the Lord, 16 and thereby (BK)bring upon them [au]punishment for guilt by eating their holy gifts; for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’”

Flawless Animals for Sacrifice

17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 18 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, and to all the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘(BL)Anyone of the house of Israel or of the strangers in Israel who presents his offering, whether it is any of their [av]vows or any of their [aw]voluntary offerings, which they present to the Lord as a burnt offering— 19 (BM)for you to be accepted—it must be a male without defect [ax]from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats. 20 (BN)Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you. 21 When someone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord (BO)to fulfill a special vow or for a [ay]voluntary offering, [az]of the herd or [ba]of the flock, it must be without defect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. 22 Those that are blind, fractured, maimed, or have a wart, a festering rash, or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to the Lord. 23 Now as for an ox or a lamb which has an [bb]overgrown or stunted member, you may present it as a [bc]voluntary offering, but for a vow it will not be accepted. 24 Also (BP)anything with its testicles squashed, crushed, torn off, or cut off, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor [bd]sacrifice in your land, 25 nor shall you offer any of these animals taken from the hand of a [be]foreigner (BQ)as the [bf]food of your God; for their deformity is in them, they have an impairment. They will not be accepted for you.’”

26 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall [bg]remain (BR)seven days [bh]with its mother, and from the eighth day on it will be considered acceptable as a sacrifice of an offering by fire to the Lord. 28 (BS)But, whether it is an ox or a sheep, you shall not slaughter both it and its young in one day. 29 When you sacrifice (BT)a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. 30 It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until morning. I am the Lord. 31 (BU)So you shall keep My commandments, and do them; I am the Lord.

32 “And you shall not profane My holy name, but I will be sanctified among the sons of Israel; I am the Lord who sanctifies you, 33 (BV)who brought you out from the land of Egypt, to be your God; I am the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 20:2 Lit seed
  2. Leviticus 20:3 Lit seed
  3. Leviticus 20:4 Lit hiding they hide their eyes from
  4. Leviticus 20:4 Lit seed
  5. Leviticus 20:6 Or ghosts and spirits
  6. Leviticus 20:9 Lit bloodguilt upon
  7. Leviticus 20:11 Lit bloodguilt upon
  8. Leviticus 20:12 Lit disgracefulness
  9. Leviticus 20:12 Lit bloodguilt upon
  10. Leviticus 20:13 Lit bloodguilt upon
  11. Leviticus 20:14 Lit takes
  12. Leviticus 20:16 Lit lie
  13. Leviticus 20:16 Lit bloodguilt upon
  14. Leviticus 20:19 Lit flesh
  15. Leviticus 20:21 Or an abomination
  16. Leviticus 20:22 Lit dwell in it
  17. Leviticus 20:23 Lit walk in
  18. Leviticus 20:25 Lit your souls
  19. Leviticus 20:25 Lit with which the ground crawls
  20. Leviticus 20:27 Lit among them must
  21. Leviticus 20:27 Lit bloodguilt upon
  22. Leviticus 21:3 Or who has not belonged to a man
  23. Leviticus 21:4 Lit husband among
  24. Leviticus 21:6 Lit of
  25. Leviticus 21:7 I.e., deflowered
  26. Leviticus 21:10 I.e., the high priest
  27. Leviticus 21:10 Lit whose hand has been filled
  28. Leviticus 21:10 Lit unbind
  29. Leviticus 21:14 Lit take as wife
  30. Leviticus 21:15 Lit seed
  31. Leviticus 21:17 Lit seed
  32. Leviticus 21:21 Lit seed
  33. Leviticus 22:3 Lit seed
  34. Leviticus 22:4 Lit seed
  35. Leviticus 22:4 I.e., leprosy or another serious skin disease
  36. Leviticus 22:6 Lit soul
  37. Leviticus 22:6 Lit flesh
  38. Leviticus 22:7 Lit bread
  39. Leviticus 22:10 Or unauthorized person
  40. Leviticus 22:11 Lit soul
  41. Leviticus 22:11 Lit he may
  42. Leviticus 22:11 Lit bread
  43. Leviticus 22:12 Lit stranger
  44. Leviticus 22:12 Or uplifted offering
  45. Leviticus 22:13 Lit bread
  46. Leviticus 22:13 Lit stranger
  47. Leviticus 22:16 Or wrongdoing requiring a guilt offering
  48. Leviticus 22:18 Or vowed offerings
  49. Leviticus 22:18 Or freewill offerings
  50. Leviticus 22:19 Lit among
  51. Leviticus 22:21 Or freewill offering
  52. Leviticus 22:21 Lit among
  53. Leviticus 22:21 Lit among
  54. Leviticus 22:23 Or a deformed
  55. Leviticus 22:23 Or freewill offering
  56. Leviticus 22:24 Lit do
  57. Leviticus 22:25 Lit son of a stranger
  58. Leviticus 22:25 Lit bread
  59. Leviticus 22:27 Lit be
  60. Leviticus 22:27 Lit under

Punishments for Sin

20 The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death.(A) The members of the community are to stone him.(B) I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people;(C) for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled(D) my sanctuary(E) and profaned my holy name.(F) If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,(G) I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

“‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.(H)

“‘Consecrate yourselves(I) and be holy,(J) because I am the Lord your God.(K) Keep my decrees(L) and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.(M)

“‘Anyone who curses their father(N) or mother(O) is to be put to death.(P) Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.(Q)

10 “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife(R)—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.(S)

11 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his father’s wife, he has dishonored his father.(T) Both the man and the woman are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.(U)

12 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his daughter-in-law,(V) both of them are to be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads.

13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.(W) They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

14 “‘If a man marries both a woman and her mother,(X) it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire,(Y) so that no wickedness will be among you.(Z)

15 “‘If a man has sexual relations with an animal,(AA) he is to be put to death,(AB) and you must kill the animal.

16 “‘If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

17 “‘If a man marries his sister(AC), the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed(AD) from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.(AE)

18 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period,(AF) he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people.(AG)

19 “‘Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father,(AH) for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.

20 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his aunt,(AI) he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.(AJ)

21 “‘If a man marries his brother’s wife,(AK) it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.(AL)

22 “‘Keep all my decrees and laws(AM) and follow them, so that the land(AN) where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. 23 You must not live according to the customs of the nations(AO) I am going to drive out before you.(AP) Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.(AQ) 24 But I said to you, “You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.”(AR) I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.(AS)

25 “‘You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds.(AT) Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you. 26 You are to be holy to me(AU) because I, the Lord, am holy,(AV) and I have set you apart from the nations(AW) to be my own.

27 “‘A man or woman who is a medium(AX) or spiritist among you must be put to death.(AY) You are to stone them;(AZ) their blood will be on their own heads.’”

Rules for Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron,(BA) and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean(BB) for any of his people who die,(BC) except for a close relative, such as his mother or father,(BD) his son or daughter, his brother, or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.(BE) He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage,[a] and so defile himself.

“‘Priests must not shave(BF) their heads or shave off the edges of their beards(BG) or cut their bodies.(BH) They must be holy to their God(BI) and must not profane the name of their God.(BJ) Because they present the food offerings to the Lord,(BK) the food of their God,(BL) they are to be holy.(BM)

“‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands,(BN) because priests are holy to their God.(BO) Regard them as holy,(BP) because they offer up the food of your God.(BQ) Consider them holy, because I the Lord am holy—I who make you holy.(BR)

“‘If a priest’s daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.(BS)

10 “‘The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the anointing oil poured on his head(BT) and who has been ordained to wear the priestly garments,(BU) must not let his hair become unkempt[b] or tear his clothes.(BV) 11 He must not enter a place where there is a dead body.(BW) He must not make himself unclean,(BX) even for his father or mother,(BY) 12 nor leave the sanctuary(BZ) of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil(CA) of his God. I am the Lord.

13 “‘The woman he marries must be a virgin.(CB) 14 He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people, 15 so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the Lord, who makes him holy.’”

16 The Lord said to Moses, 17 “Say to Aaron: ‘For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect(CC) may come near to offer the food of his God.(CD) 18 No man who has any defect(CE) may come near: no man who is blind(CF) or lame,(CG) disfigured or deformed; 19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, 20 or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.(CH) 21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect(CI) is to come near to present the food offerings to the Lord.(CJ) He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.(CK) 22 He may eat the most holy food of his God,(CL) as well as the holy food; 23 yet because of his defect,(CM) he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary.(CN) I am the Lord, who makes them holy.(CO)’”

24 So Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

22 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings(CP) the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name.(CQ) I am the Lord.(CR)

“Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord,(CS) that person must be cut off from my presence.(CT) I am the Lord.

“‘If a descendant of Aaron has a defiling skin disease[c] or a bodily discharge,(CU) he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse(CV) or by anyone who has an emission of semen, or if he touches any crawling thing(CW) that makes him unclean, or any person(CX) who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be. The one who touches any such thing will be unclean(CY) till evening.(CZ) He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.(DA) When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food.(DB) He must not eat anything found dead(DC) or torn by wild animals,(DD) and so become unclean(DE) through it. I am the Lord.(DF)

“‘The priests are to perform my service(DG) in such a way that they do not become guilty(DH) and die(DI) for treating it with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.(DJ)

10 “‘No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it.(DK) 11 But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food.(DL) 12 If a priest’s daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions. 13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father’s household as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat it.

14 “‘Anyone who eats a sacred offering by mistake(DM) must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value(DN) to it. 15 The priests must not desecrate the sacred offerings(DO) the Israelites present to the Lord(DP) 16 by allowing them to eat(DQ) the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt(DR) requiring payment.(DS) I am the Lord, who makes them holy.(DT)’”

Unacceptable Sacrifices

17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you—whether an Israelite or a foreigner residing in Israel(DU)—presents a gift(DV) for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfill a vow(DW) or as a freewill offering,(DX) 19 you must present a male without defect(DY) from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.(DZ) 20 Do not bring anything with a defect,(EA) because it will not be accepted on your behalf.(EB) 21 When anyone brings from the herd or flock(EC) a fellowship offering(ED) to the Lord to fulfill a special vow or as a freewill offering,(EE) it must be without defect or blemish(EF) to be acceptable.(EG) 22 Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores. Do not place any of these on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord. 23 You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox[d] or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfillment of a vow. 24 You must not offer to the Lord an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn or cut.(EH) You must not do this in your own land, 25 and you must not accept such animals from the hand of a foreigner and offer them as the food of your God.(EI) They will not be accepted on your behalf, because they are deformed and have defects.(EJ)’”

26 The Lord said to Moses, 27 “When a calf, a lamb or a goat(EK) is born, it is to remain with its mother for seven days.(EL) From the eighth day(EM) on, it will be acceptable(EN) as a food offering presented to the Lord. 28 Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.(EO)

29 “When you sacrifice a thank offering(EP) to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. 30 It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning.(EQ) I am the Lord.(ER)

31 “Keep(ES) my commands and follow them.(ET) I am the Lord. 32 Do not profane my holy name,(EU) for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites.(EV) I am the Lord, who made you holy(EW) 33 and who brought you out of Egypt(EX) to be your God.(EY) I am the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 21:4 Or unclean as a leader among his people
  2. Leviticus 21:10 Or not uncover his head
  3. Leviticus 22:4 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  4. Leviticus 22:23 The Hebrew word can refer to either male or female.

Paul in Macedonia and Greece

20 After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for (A)the disciples, and when he had [a]encouraged them and taken his leave of them, he left (B)to go to (C)Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given them much [b]encouragement, he came to Greece. And there he spent three months, and when (D)a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for (E)Syria, he decided to return through (F)Macedonia. And [c]he was accompanied by Sopater of (G)Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by (H)Aristarchus and Secundus of the (I)Thessalonians, and (J)Gaius of (K)Derbe, and (L)Timothy, and (M)Tychicus and (N)Trophimus of [d](O)Asia. Now these had gone on ahead and were waiting for (P)us at (Q)Troas. (R)We sailed from (S)Philippi after [e](T)the days of Unleavened Bread, and reached them at (U)Troas within five days; and we stayed there for seven days.

On (V)the first day of the week, when (W)we were gathered together to (X)break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his [f]message until midnight. There were many (Y)lamps in the (Z)upstairs room where we were gathered together. And there was a young man named [g]Eutychus sitting [h]on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, Eutychus was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor, and was picked up dead. 10 But Paul went down and (AA)fell upon him, and after embracing him, he (AB)said, “[i]Do not be troubled, for [j]he is still alive.” 11 When Paul had gone back up and had (AC)broken the bread and [k]eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left. 12 They took away the boy alive, and were [l]greatly comforted.

Troas to Miletus

13 But (AD)we went ahead to the ship and set sail for Assos, intending from there to take Paul on board; for that was what he had arranged, intending himself to go [m]by land. 14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene. 15 Sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios; and the next day we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day we came to (AE)Miletus. 16 For Paul had decided to sail past (AF)Ephesus so that he would not have to lose time in [n](AG)Asia; for he was hurrying, if it might be possible for him (AH)to be in Jerusalem (AI)the day of Pentecost.

Farewell to Ephesus

17 From Miletus he sent word to (AJ)Ephesus and called to himself (AK)the elders of the church. 18 And when they came to him, he said to them,

“You yourselves know, (AL)from the first day that I set foot in [o]Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and trials which came upon me [p]through (AM)the plots of the Jews; 20 how I (AN)did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was beneficial, and teaching you publicly and [q]from house to house, 21 solemnly (AO)testifying to both Jews and Greeks of (AP)repentance toward God and (AQ)faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, bound by the [r]Spirit, (AR)I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that (AS)the Holy Spirit solemnly (AT)testifies to me in every city, saying that (AU)chains and afflictions await me. 24 But (AV)I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may (AW)finish my course and (AX)the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to (AY)testify solemnly of the gospel of (AZ)God’s grace.

25 “And now behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about (BA)preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. 26 Therefore, I [s]testify to you this day that (BB)I am [t]innocent of the blood of all people. 27 For I (BC)did not shrink from declaring to you the whole (BD)purpose of God. 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all (BE)the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you [u]overseers, to shepherd (BF)the church of God which (BG)He [v]purchased [w]with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure (BH)savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing (BI)the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away (BJ)the disciples after them. 31 Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of (BK)three years I did not cease to admonish each one (BL)with tears. 32 And now I (BM)entrust you to God and to (BN)the word of His grace, which is able to (BO)build you up and to give you (BP)the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 (BQ)I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 34 You yourselves know that (BR)these hands served my own needs and the (BS)men who were with me. 35 In everything I showed you that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

36 When he had said these things, he (BT)knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And [x]they all began to weep aloud and [y](BU)embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, 38 [z]grieving especially over (BV)the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were (BW)accompanying him to the ship.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:1 Or exhorted
  2. Acts 20:2 Or exhortation
  3. Acts 20:4 Lit there accompanied him
  4. Acts 20:4 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
  5. Acts 20:6 I.e., Passover week
  6. Acts 20:7 Lit word, speech
  7. Acts 20:9 Eutychus means good fortune; i.e., “Lucky”
  8. Acts 20:9 Or at the window
  9. Acts 20:10 Or Stop being troubled
  10. Acts 20:10 Lit his soul is in him
  11. Acts 20:11 Lit tasted
  12. Acts 20:12 Lit not moderately
  13. Acts 20:13 Or on foot
  14. Acts 20:16 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
  15. Acts 20:18 See note v 16
  16. Acts 20:19 Lit by
  17. Acts 20:20 Or in the various private homes
  18. Acts 20:22 Or in spirit
  19. Acts 20:26 Or call you to witness
  20. Acts 20:26 Lit pure from
  21. Acts 20:28 Or bishops
  22. Acts 20:28 Lit acquired
  23. Acts 20:28 Lit through
  24. Acts 20:37 Lit a considerable weeping of all occurred
  25. Acts 20:37 Lit threw themselves on Paul’s neck
  26. Acts 20:38 Lit suffering pain

Through Macedonia and Greece

20 When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples(A) and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia.(B) He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, where he stayed three months. Because some Jews had plotted against him(C) just as he was about to sail for Syria,(D) he decided to go back through Macedonia.(E) He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus(F) and Secundus from Thessalonica,(G) Gaius(H) from Derbe, Timothy(I) also, and Tychicus(J) and Trophimus(K) from the province of Asia.(L) These men went on ahead and waited for us(M) at Troas.(N) But we sailed from Philippi(O) after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas,(P) where we stayed seven days.

Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas

On the first day of the week(Q) we came together to break bread.(R) Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room(S) where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man(T) and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”(U) 11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread(V) and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

13 We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14 When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.(W) 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus(X) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,(Y) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,(Z) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.(AA)

17 From Miletus,(AB) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders(AC) of the church. 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,(AD) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.(AE) 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears(AF) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.(AG) 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything(AH) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21 I have declared to both Jews(AI) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance(AJ) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.(AK)

22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,(AL) not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me(AM) that prison and hardships are facing me.(AN) 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;(AO) my only aim is to finish the race(AP) and complete the task(AQ) the Lord Jesus has given me(AR)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.(AS)

25 “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom(AT) will ever see me again.(AU) 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.(AV) 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.(AW) 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock(AX) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.(AY) Be shepherds of the church of God,[a](AZ) which he bought(BA) with his own blood.[b](BB) 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves(BC) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.(BD) 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples(BE) after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years(BF) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.(BG)

32 “Now I commit you to God(BH) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance(BI) among all those who are sanctified.(BJ) 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.(BK) 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.(BL) 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.(BM) 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.(BN) 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.(BO) Then they accompanied him to the ship.(BP)

Footnotes

  1. Acts 20:28 Many manuscripts of the Lord
  2. Acts 20:28 Or with the blood of his own Son