Levítico 13
Traducción en lenguaje actual
Enfermedades de la piel
13 Dios les dijo a Moisés y a Aarón:
2 «Cuando alguien tenga en la piel hinchazones, manchas o llagas, deberá presentarse ante uno de los sacerdotes. 3 El sacerdote le revisará la piel, y si el pelo en la llaga se ha puesto blanco y la llaga se ve más hundida que la piel, lo más seguro es que se trate de lepra, y por tanto el enfermo quedará impuro.
4 »Si la mancha es blanca, pero no se ve más hundida que la piel, ni el pelo se ha puesto blanco, entonces el sacerdote pondrá aparte al enfermo 5 y a los siete días lo revisará otra vez. Si la llaga sigue igual y no se ha extendido, mantendrá apartado al enfermo siete días más. 6 Pasados los siete días, lo volverá a revisar, y si la llaga no se extendió sino que desapareció, se trataba sólo de una irritación de la piel. Entonces el sacerdote declarará puro al enfermo, y el enfermo lavará sus ropas y quedará purificado.
7 »Si después de que el enfermo ha sido revisado y declarado puro, la irritación se extiende por la piel, entonces deberá presentarse de nuevo ante el sacerdote. 8 Si después de revisar al enfermo, el sacerdote ve que la piel está toda irritada, entonces deberá declararlo impuro, pues se trata de lepra.
9 »La persona que tenga llagas en la piel será llevada ante el sacerdote 10 para que la revise. Si la hinchazón de la piel es blanca, y el pelo se ha puesto blanco, y en la hinchazón se ve la carne viva, 11 entonces se trata de un caso grave de lepra. El sacerdote deberá declarar impura a esa persona, y ya no será necesario que la tenga apartada.
12 »Puede suceder que una mancha se extienda rápidamente hasta cubrir todo el cuerpo. 13 El sacerdote revisará al enfermo, y si la mancha le ha cubierto todo el cuerpo, entonces deberá declararlo puro. Ha quedado puro, porque se trata sólo de una enfermedad de la piel. 14-15 Pero si llega a aparecer la carne viva, el sacerdote la examinará y deberá declararlo impuro, porque la carne viva es impura. Se trata de lepra.
16 »Si la carne viva vuelve a ponerse blanca, el enfermo deberá presentarse de nuevo ante el sacerdote. 17 Si el sacerdote ve que la llaga se ha puesto blanca, deberá declarar puro al enfermo.
18-19 »Si a alguien que tuvo la piel irritada, luego le aparece una hinchazón, o se le pone blanca o rojiza, deberá presentarse ante el sacerdote. 20 Si el sacerdote ve que se ha hundido la piel y que el pelo se ha puesto blanco, deberá declarar impura a esa persona, pues se ha contagiado de lepra. 21 Si el sacerdote no encuentra nada raro en la piel, mantendrá apartado al enfermo durante siete días. 22 Si la mancha en la piel se extiende cada vez más, deberá declarar impuro al enfermo; 23 por el contrario, si la mancha desaparece, deberá declararlo puro.
24 »Si alguien se quema con fuego, y sobre la quemadura se le forma una mancha rojiza, 25 el sacerdote revisará la mancha. Si en la mancha el pelo se ha puesto blanco y la piel se ha hundido, es porque la quemadura se ha convertido en lepra. Entonces el sacerdote deberá declarar impuro al enfermo. 26 Si el sacerdote no encuentra nada raro en la piel, mantendrá apartado al enfermo durante siete días. 27 Al séptimo día lo revisará, y si la mancha se ha extendido por la piel, deberá declarar impuro al enfermo. 28 Por el contrario, si la mancha no se ha extendido y tiende a desaparecer, lo declarará puro, pues se trata sólo de la cicatriz de la quemadura.
29 »Si a un hombre o a una mujer les sale una llaga en la cabeza o en el mentón, 30 el sacerdote deberá revisar la llaga. Si la piel se ve hundida y el pelo se ha puesto amarillento y es escaso, el sacerdote deberá declarar impuro al enfermo pues se trata de una clase de lepra.
31 »Si el sacerdote ve que la piel no se ha hundido, pero el pelo aún no ha sanado, mantendrá apartado al enfermo durante siete días. 32 Al séptimo día lo revisará, y si ve que la llaga no se ha extendido, 33 el enfermo se afeitará, pero dejará sin afeitar la parte afectada. El sacerdote lo mantendrá apartado siete días más, 34 y al séptimo día volverá a revisarlo. Si la llaga no se ha extendido por la piel, deberá declararlo puro. 35-37 Por el contrario, si ésta vuelve a extenderse, el sacerdote lo declarará impuro.
38 »Si a un hombre o a una mujer les salen manchas de color blanco opaco, 39 se trata de una simple enfermedad de la piel, y la persona será declarada pura.
40-41 »Si a un hombre se le cae el pelo, se queda calvo, o si pierde el pelo de la frente, no se le declarará impuro. 42 Pero si en la parte calva aparece una mancha rojiza y pálida, eso significa que la parte calva se ha cubierto de lepra. 43 En tal caso, el sacerdote lo revisará. Si ve que la mancha tiene el mismo aspecto que la lepra que brota en la piel, 44 ese hombre está leproso y, por lo tanto, deberá declararlo impuro.
45-46 »Los enfermos de lepra deberán romperse la ropa y andar despeinados, y mientras dure su enfermedad serán considerados gente impura. Vivirán apartados, fuera del campamento. Además, se cubrirán la mitad del rostro e irán gritando: “¡Soy impuro! ¡Soy impuro!”
Las manchas en la ropa y en los cueros
47 »A veces aparecen manchas en la ropa de lana y de lino, 48 y en los objetos de cuero. 49 Si la mancha es amarillenta o rojiza, se le mostrará al sacerdote 50 para que la examine, y el objeto se pondrá aparte durante siete días. 51-52 Al séptimo día, el sacerdote volverá a examinar la mancha, y si ésta se ha extendido, el objeto es impuro y deberá ser quemado, pues se trata de un hongo destructivo.
53 »Si la mancha no se ha extendido, 54 el sacerdote ordenará que se lave el lugar donde apareció la mancha y el objeto se pondrá aparte siete días más. 55 Una vez lavada la mancha, el sacerdote volverá a examinarla, y si no ha desaparecido, se quemará el objeto, pues es impuro.
56 »Si al lavar la prenda, la mancha pierde su color, el sacerdote deberá cortar el pedazo de tela o cuero manchado. 57 Si más tarde vuelve a aparecer la mancha en el objeto, éste deberá ser quemado. 58 Pero si la mancha desaparece por completo, el objeto volverá a lavarse y se declarará puro.
59 »Éstas son las instrucciones en cuanto a los objetos manchados, para saber cuándo son impuros y cuándo no lo son».
Leviticus 13
New International Version
Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases
13 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “When anyone has a swelling(A) or a rash or a shiny spot(B) on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease,[a](C) they must be brought to Aaron the priest(D) or to one of his sons[b] who is a priest. 3 The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.(E) 4 If the shiny spot(F) on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(G) 5 On the seventh day(H) the priest is to examine them,(I) and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days. 6 On the seventh day the priest is to examine them again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them clean;(J) it is only a rash. They must wash their clothes,(K) and they will be clean.(L) 7 But if the rash does spread in their skin after they have shown themselves to the priest to be pronounced clean, they must appear before the priest again.(M) 8 The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.
9 “When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. 10 The priest is to examine them, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic skin disease(N) and the priest shall pronounce them unclean. He is not to isolate them, because they are already unclean.
12 “If the disease breaks out all over their skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot, 13 the priest is to examine them, and if the disease has covered their whole body, he shall pronounce them clean. Since it has all turned white, they are clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on them, they will be unclean. 15 When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce them unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; they have a defiling disease.(O) 16 If the raw flesh changes and turns white, they must go to the priest. 17 The priest is to examine them, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the affected person clean;(P) then they will be clean.
18 “When someone has a boil(Q) on their skin and it heals, 19 and in the place where the boil was, a white swelling or reddish-white(R) spot(S) appears, they must present themselves to the priest. 20 The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean. It is a defiling skin disease(T) that has broken out where the boil was. 21 But if, when the priest examines it, there is no white hair in it and it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days. 22 If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling disease. 23 But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.(U)
24 “When someone has a burn on their skin and a reddish-white or white spot appears in the raw flesh of the burn, 25 the priest is to examine the spot, and if the hair in it has turned white, and it appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.(V) 26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and if it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days.(W) 27 On the seventh day the priest is to examine that person,(X) and if it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease. 28 If, however, the spot is unchanged and has not spread in the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce them clean; it is only a scar from the burn.(Y)
29 “If a man or woman has a sore on their head(Z) or chin, 30 the priest is to examine the sore, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease on the head or chin. 31 But if, when the priest examines the sore, it does not seem to be more than skin deep and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(AA) 32 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AB) and if it has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be more than skin deep, 33 then the man or woman must shave themselves, except for the affected area, and the priest is to keep them isolated another seven days. 34 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AC) and if it has not spread in the skin and appears to be no more than skin deep, the priest shall pronounce them clean. They must wash their clothes, and they will be clean.(AD) 35 But if the sore does spread in the skin after they are pronounced clean, 36 the priest is to examine them, and if he finds that the sore has spread in the skin, he does not need to look for yellow hair; they are unclean.(AE) 37 If, however, the sore is unchanged so far as the priest can see, and if black hair has grown in it, the affected person is healed. They are clean, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.
38 “When a man or woman has white spots on the skin, 39 the priest is to examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; they are clean.
40 “A man who has lost his hair and is bald(AF) is clean. 41 If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. 42 But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead. 43 The priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like a defiling skin disease, 44 the man is diseased and is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean because of the sore on his head.
45 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes,(AG) let their hair be unkempt,[c] cover the lower part of their face(AH) and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’(AI) 46 As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.(AJ)
Regulations About Defiling Molds
47 “As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, 48 any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather— 49 if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest.(AK) 50 The priest is to examine the affected area(AL) and isolate the article for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he is to examine it,(AM) and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean.(AN) 52 He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.(AO)
53 “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, 54 he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. 55 After the article has been washed, the priest is to examine it again, and if the mold has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it, no matter which side of the fabric has been spoiled. 56 If, when the priest examines it, the mold has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the spoiled part out of the fabric, the leather, or the woven or knitted material. 57 But if it reappears in the fabric, in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is a spreading mold; whatever has the mold must be burned. 58 Any fabric, woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mold, must be washed again. Then it will be clean.”
59 These are the regulations concerning defiling molds in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 13:2 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; here and throughout verses 3-46.
- Leviticus 13:2 Or descendants
- Leviticus 13:45 Or clothes, uncover their head
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