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22 “When men get in a fight and hit a pregnant woman so that her children are born prematurely[a] but there is no injury, the one who hit her must be fined as the woman’s husband demands(A) from him, and he must pay according to judicial assessment. 23 If there is an injury, then you must give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth,(B) hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound for wound.
26 “When a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave and destroys it, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his eye. 27 If he knocks out the tooth of his male or female slave, he must let the slave go free in compensation for his tooth.
28 “When an ox[b] gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must be stoned,(C) and its meat may not be eaten, but the ox’s owner is innocent. 29 However, if the ox was in the habit of goring, and its owner has been warned yet does not restrain it, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox must be stoned, and its owner must also be put to death. 30 If instead a ransom(D) is demanded of him, he can pay a redemption price for his life in the full amount demanded from him. 31 If it gores a son or a daughter, he is to be dealt with according to this same law. 32 If the ox gores a male or female slave, he must give 30 shekels(E) of silver[c] to the slave’s master, and the ox must be stoned.
33 “When a man uncovers a pit or digs a pit, and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, 34 the owner of the pit must give compensation; he must pay money to its owner, but the dead animal will become his.
35 “When a man’s ox injures his neighbor’s ox and it dies, they must sell the live ox and divide its proceeds; they must also divide the dead animal. 36 If, however, it is known that the ox was in the habit of goring, yet its owner has not restrained it, he must compensate fully, ox for ox; the dead animal will become his.
Laws about Theft
22 [d]“When a man steals an ox or a sheep and butchers it or sells it, he must repay(F) five cattle for the ox or four sheep for the sheep. 2 [e]If a thief is caught in the act of breaking in, and he is beaten to death, no one is guilty of bloodshed.(G) 3 But if this happens after sunrise,[f] there is guilt of bloodshed. A thief must make full restitution. If he is unable, he is to be sold because of his theft.(H) 4 If what was stolen—whether ox, donkey, or sheep—is actually found alive in his possession, he must repay double.
Laws about Crop Protection
5 “When a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed in, and then allows his animals to go and graze in someone else’s field, he must repay[g] with the best of his own field or vineyard.
6 “When a fire gets out of control, spreads to thornbushes, and consumes stacks of cut grain, standing grain, or a field, the one who started the fire must make full restitution for what was burned.
Laws about Personal Property
7 “When a man gives his neighbor money or goods to keep, but they are stolen from that person’s house, the thief, if caught, must repay double. 8 If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house must present himself to the judges[h] to determine[i] whether or not he has taken his neighbor’s property.(I) 9 In any case of wrongdoing involving an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or anything else lost, and someone claims, ‘That’s mine,’[j] the case between the two parties is to come before the judges.[k] The one the judges condemn[l] must repay double to his neighbor.
10 “When a man gives his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any other animal to care for, but it dies, is injured, or is stolen, while no one is watching, 11 there must be an oath before the Lord between the two of them to determine whether or not he has taken his neighbor’s property. Its owner must accept the oath, and the other man does not have to make restitution. 12 But if, in fact, the animal was stolen from his custody, he must make restitution to its owner.(J) 13 If it was actually torn apart by a wild animal, he is to bring it as evidence; he does not have to make restitution for the torn carcass.
14 “When a man borrows an animal from his neighbor, and it is injured or dies while its owner is not there with it, the man must make full restitution. 15 If its owner is there with it, the man does not have to make restitution. If it was rented, the loss is covered by[m] its rental price.
Laws about Seduction
16 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and he has sexual relations with her, he must certainly pay the bridal price for her to be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must pay an amount in silver equal to the bridal price for virgins.(K)
Capital Offenses
18 “You must not allow a sorceress(L) to live.
19 “Whoever has sexual intercourse with an animal(M) must be put to death.
20 “Whoever sacrifices to any gods, except the Lord alone, is to be set apart for destruction.(N)
Laws Protecting the Vulnerable
21 “You must not exploit a foreign resident(O) or oppress him, since you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
22 “You must not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.(P) 23 If you do mistreat them, they will no doubt cry to Me, and I will certainly hear their cry.(Q) 24 My anger will burn, and I will kill you with the sword; then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.(R)
25 “If you lend money to My people, to the poor person among you, you must not be like a moneylender to him; you must not charge him interest.(S)
26 “If you ever take your neighbor’s cloak as collateral, return it to him before sunset. 27 For it is his only covering; it is the clothing for his body.[n] What will he sleep in? And if he cries out to Me, I will listen because I am compassionate.(T)
Respect for God
28 “You must not blaspheme God[o] or curse a leader among your people.(U)
29 “You must not hold back offerings(V) from your harvest or your vats. Give Me the firstborn of your sons. 30 Do the same with your cattle and your flock. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but on the eighth day you are to give them to Me.(W)
31 “Be My holy people. You must not eat the meat of a mauled animal(X) found in the field; throw it to the dogs.
Laws about Honesty and Justice
23 “You must not spread a false report. Do not join[p] the wicked to be a malicious witness.(Y)
2 “You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice.(Z) 3 Do not show favoritism to a poor person in his lawsuit.
4 “If you come across your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him.
5 “If you see the donkey of someone who hates you lying helpless under its load, and you want to refrain from helping it, you must help with it.[q](AA)
6 “You must not deny justice to a poor person among you in his lawsuit. 7 Stay far away from a false accusation. Do not kill the innocent and the just, because I will not justify the guilty.(AB) 8 You must not take a bribe,(AC) for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and corrupts the words[r] of the righteous. 9 You must not oppress a foreign resident;(AD) you yourselves know how it feels to be a foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
Sabbaths and Festivals
10 “Sow your land for six years and gather its produce.(AE) 11 But during the seventh year you are to let it rest and leave it uncultivated, so that the poor among your people may eat from it and the wild animals may consume what they leave. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.
12 “Do your work(AF) for six days but rest on the seventh day so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave as well as the foreign resident may be refreshed.
13 “Pay strict attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.[s](AG)
Destruction of the Temple Predicted
24 As Jesus left and was going out of the temple complex,(A) His disciples(B) came up and called His attention to the temple buildings. 2 Then He replied to them, “Don’t you see all these things? I assure you: Not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down!”
Signs of the End of the Age
3 While He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached Him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”(C)
4 Then Jesus replied to them: “Watch out that no one deceives(D) you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many.(E) 6 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines[a](F) and earthquakes in various places.(G) 8 All these events are the beginning of birth pains.(H)
Persecutions Predicted
9 “Then they will hand you over for persecution,[b] and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name.(I) 10 Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another. 11 Many false prophets(J) will rise up and deceive many. 12 Because lawlessness(K) will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be delivered.[c] 14 This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world[d] as a testimony to all nations.(L) And then the end will come.(M)
The Great Tribulation
15 “So when you see the abomination that causes desolation,[e][f] spoken of by the prophet Daniel,(N) standing in the holy place”(O) (let the reader understand[g]), 16 “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains! 17 A man on the housetop[h] must not come down to get things out of his house.(P) 18 And a man in the field must not go back to get his clothes. 19 Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! 20 Pray that your escape may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great tribulation,(Q) the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again! 22 Unless those days were limited, no one would[i] survive.[j] But those days will be limited because of the elect.(R)
23 “If anyone tells you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’(S) or, ‘Over here!’ do not believe it!(T) 24 False messiahs[k] and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray,(U) if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note: I have told you in advance. 26 So if they tell you, ‘Look, He’s in the wilderness!’ don’t go out; ‘Look, He’s in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.(V) 28 Wherever the carcass is, there the vultures[l] will gather.(W)
Psalm 29
The Voice of the Lord
A Davidic psalm.
1 Ascribe to Yahweh, you heavenly beings,[a]
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due His name;
worship Yahweh
in the splendor of His holiness.[b](A)
3 The voice of the Lord is above the waters.
The God of glory thunders—
the Lord, above vast waters,(B)
4 the voice of the Lord in power,
the voice of the Lord in splendor.(C)
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.(D)
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,(E)
and Sirion,[c] like a young wild ox.(F)
7 The voice of the Lord flashes flames of fire.(G)
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.(H)
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth[d](I)
and strips the woodlands bare.(J)
In His temple all cry, “Glory!”
A Story of Seduction
6 At the window of my house
I looked through my lattice.(A)
7 I saw among the inexperienced,[a]
I noticed among the youths,
a young man lacking sense.
8 Crossing the street near her corner,
he strolled down the road to her house
9 at twilight, in the evening,
in the dark of the night.(B)
10 A woman came to meet him
dressed like a prostitute,(C)
having a hidden agenda.[b]
11 She is loud and defiant;(D)
her feet do not stay at home.(E)
12 Now in the street, now in the squares,(F)
she lurks at every corner.(G)
13 She grabs him and kisses him;
she brazenly says[c] to him,
14 “I’ve made fellowship offerings;[d]
today I’ve fulfilled my vows.(H)
15 So I came out to meet you,
to search for you, and I’ve found you.
16 I’ve spread coverings on my bed(I)—
richly colored linen from Egypt.(J)
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.(K)
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of lovemaking until morning.(L)
Let’s feast on each other’s love!
19 My husband isn’t home;
he went on a long journey.
20 He took a bag of money with him
and will come home at the time of the full moon.”
21 She seduces him with her persistent pleading;
she lures with her flattering[e] talk.
22 He follows her impulsively
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding toward a trap[f]
23 until an arrow pierces its[g] liver,(M)
like a bird darting into a snare(N)—
he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
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