Eating Blood Forbidden

17 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to Aaron and his sons^(A) and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: ³ Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox,^[a] a lamb^(B) or a goat^(C) in the camp or outside of it ⁴ instead of bringing it to the entrance to the tent of meeting^(D) to present it as an offering to the Lord in front of the tabernacle of the Lord^(E)—that person shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; they have shed blood and must be cut off from their people.^{(F) 5} This is so the Israelites will bring to the Lord the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the Lord, at the entrance to the tent of meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.^{(G) 6} The priest is to splash the blood against the altar^(H) of the Lord^(I) at the entrance to the tent of meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.^{(J) 7} They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols^[b](K) to whom they prostitute themselves.^(L) This is to be a lasting ordinance^(M) for them and for the generations to come.’^(N)

⁸ “Say to them: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice ⁹ and does not bring it to the entrance to the tent^(O) of meeting^(P) to sacrifice it to the Lord^(Q) must be cut off from the people of Israel.

¹⁰ “‘I will set my face against any Israelite or any foreigner residing among them who eats blood,^(R) and I will cut them off from the people. ¹¹ For the life of a creature is in the blood,^(S) and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.^{[c](T) 12} Therefore I say to the Israelites, “None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner residing among you eat blood.”

¹³ “‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing among you who hunts any animal or bird that may be eaten must drain out the blood and cover it with earth,^{(U) 14} because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, “You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off.”^(V)

¹⁵ “‘Anyone, whether native-born or foreigner, who eats anything^(W) found dead or torn by wild animals^(X) must wash their clothes and bathe with water,^(Y) and they will be ceremonially unclean till evening;^(Z) then they will be clean. ¹⁶ But if they do not wash their clothes and bathe themselves, they will be held responsible.^(AA)’”

Unlawful Sexual Relations

18 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.^{(AB) 3} You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.^{(AC) 4} You must obey my laws^(AD) and be careful to follow my decrees.^(AE) I am the Lord your God.^{(AF) 5} Keep my decrees and laws,^(AG) for the person who obeys them will live by them.^(AH) I am the Lord.

⁶ “‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.

⁷ “‘Do not dishonor your father^(AI) by having sexual relations with your mother.^(AJ) She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

⁸ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;^(AK) that would dishonor your father.^(AL)

⁹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister,^(AM) either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.^(AN)

¹⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

¹¹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

¹² “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister;^(AO) she is your father’s close relative.

¹³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,^(AP) because she is your mother’s close relative.

¹⁴ “‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.^(AQ)

¹⁵ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.^(AR) She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.^(AS)

¹⁶ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;^(AT) that would dishonor your brother.

¹⁷ “‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.^(AU) Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

¹⁸ “‘Do not take your wife’s sister^(AV) as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

¹⁹ “‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness^(AW) of her monthly period.^(AX)

²⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife^(AY) and defile yourself with her.

²¹ “‘Do not give any of your children^(AZ) to be sacrificed to Molek,^(BA) for you must not profane the name of your God.^(BB) I am the Lord.^(BC)

²² “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman;^(BD) that is detestable.^(BE)

²³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.^(BF)

²⁴ “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you^(BG) became defiled.^{(BH) 25} Even the land was defiled;^(BI) so I punished it for its sin,^(BJ) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.^{(BK) 26} But you must keep my decrees and my laws.^(BL) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, ²⁷ for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. ²⁸ And if you defile the land,^(BM) it will vomit you out^(BN) as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

²⁹ “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. ³⁰ Keep my requirements^(BO) and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.^(BP)’”

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run^(A) with perseverance^(B) the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus,^(C) the pioneer^(D) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,^(E) scorning its shame,^(F) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.^{(G) 3} Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary^(H) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.^{(I) 5} And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.^(M) For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline^(N)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits^(O) and live!^{(P) 10} They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.^{(Q) 11} No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace^(R) for those who have been trained by it.

¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.^{(S) 13} “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b](T) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.^(U)

Warning and Encouragement

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(V) and to be holy;^(W) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^{(X) 15} See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(Y) and that no bitter root^(Z) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. ¹⁶ See that no one is sexually immoral,^(AA) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.^{(AB) 17} Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,^(AC) he could not change what he had done.

The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;^{(AD) 19} to a trumpet blast^(AE) or to such a voice speaking words^(AF) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,^{(AG) 20} because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^{[c](AH) 21} The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”^[d](AI)

²² But you have come to Mount Zion,^(AJ) to the city^(AK) of the living God,^(AL) the heavenly Jerusalem.^(AM) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, ²³ to the church of the firstborn,^(AN) whose names are written in heaven.^(AO) You have come to God, the Judge of all,^(AP) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,^{(AQ) 24} to Jesus the mediator^(AR) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood^(AS) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.^(AT)

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse^(AU) him who speaks.^(AV) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned^(AW) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?^{(AX) 26} At that time his voice shook the earth,^(AY) but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”^{[e](AZ) 27} The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken^(BA)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,^(BB) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,^{(BC) 29} for our “God is a consuming fire.”^[f](BD)