Exodus 22:16-23:9

New International Version

Social Responsibility

¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin^(A) who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,^(B) and she shall be his wife. ¹⁷ If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ “Do not allow a sorceress^(C) to live.

¹⁹ “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal^(D) is to be put to death.

²⁰ “Whoever sacrifices to any god^(E) other than the Lord must be destroyed.^[a](F)

²¹ “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,^(G) for you were foreigners^(H) in Egypt.

²² “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.^{(I) 23} If you do and they cry out^(J) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.^{(K) 24} My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.^(L)

²⁵ “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.^{(M) 26} If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,^(N) return it by sunset, ²⁷ because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?^(O) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.^(P)

²⁸ “Do not blaspheme God^[b](Q) or curse^(R) the ruler of your people.^(S)

²⁹ “Do not hold back offerings^(T) from your granaries or your vats.^[c]

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.^{(U) 30} Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.^(V) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.^(W)

³¹ “You are to be my holy people.^(X) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;^(Y) throw it to the dogs.

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports.^(Z) Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.^(AA)

² “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice^(AB) by siding with the crowd,^{(AC) 3} and do not show favoritism^(AD) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

⁴ “If you come across your enemy’s^(AE) ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.^{(AF) 5} If you see the donkey^(AG) of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

⁶ “Do not deny justice^(AH) to your poor people in their lawsuits. ⁷ Have nothing to do with a false charge^(AI) and do not put an innocent^(AJ) or honest person to death,^(AK) for I will not acquit the guilty.^(AL)

⁸ “Do not accept a bribe,^(AM) for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

⁹ “Do not oppress a foreigner;^(AN) you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.