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Leviticus 4
New Catholic Bible
Leviticus 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4[a]
Sin Offerings.[b] 1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel and say: If anyone unknowingly sins against one of the commandments of the Lord, doing one of the things he was not supposed to do,
For an Anointed Priest. 3 “if it be an anointed priest who has sinned, thus bringing guilt upon the people, let him offer up a young bull without defect as a sin offering to the Lord. 4 He shall bring the young bull before the Lord at the entrance to the meeting tent, and will lay his hand on the head of the young bull and slay it before the Lord. 5 The priest who has been anointed shall take the blood of the young bull and carry it into the meeting tent. 6 He will dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the Lord in front of the sanctuary veil. 7 The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of incense which is before the Lord in the meeting tent. He shall pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offerings which is at the entrance to the meeting tent. 8 He shall take all of the fat that is around the entrails and all the fat that is above, 9 the two kidneys and their fat, the fat around the loins, and the lobe of the liver that he will detach along with the kidneys. 10 He shall do just as he does with the ox of the sacrifice of a peace offering. He shall burn it all upon the altar of burnt offerings. 11 But as to the skin of the young bull, the meat with its head, the entrails, the legs and the dung, 12 that is, the young bull, he shall carry it outside of the camp to a pure place,[c] where they throw the ashes. He shall burn it upon a wood fire, in the place where they throw the ashes.
13 For the Whole Assembly.“If the whole assembly of Israel unknowingly commits a sin, for the thing was not clear to them, and they do one of the things that they were commanded by the Lord not to do and they incur guilt, 14 when they realize their sin, the assembly shall offer as a sin offering a young bull and bring it in front of the meeting tent. 15 The elders of the community shall lay their hands on the head of the young bull and they shall slay it before the Lord. 16 The priest who has been anointed shall take the blood of the young bull inside of the tent of meeting. 17 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle the blood seven times before the Lord in front of the veil. 18 He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of incense which is before the Lord in the meeting tent. He will pour the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offerings which is at the entrance to the meeting tent. 19 He shall take all of its fat and burn it on the altar. 20 He shall perform the same ceremony with this young bull as with the offering of a sin offering: all done the same way. The priest shall make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven.[d] 21 Then he shall carry the young bull outside the camp and burn it as he burned the first young bull. It is a sin offering for the assembly.
22 For a Leader.“When a leader has sinned, unknowingly doing any one of the things that the Lord God has commanded not to do, and he is guilty, 23 when he comes to know of the sin that he has committed, he shall bring as an offering a kid he-goat without defect. 24 He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat and slay it in the place where they slay burnt offerings before the Lord. It is a sin offering. 25 The priest shall take the blood of the sin offering with his finger and he shall put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offerings. He shall pour the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offerings. 26 He shall then burn every fat part on the altar like the fat of a peace offering. The priest shall make atonement for his sin and he shall be forgiven.
27 For the Common People.“If any of the common people has unknowingly sinned, doing any one of the things that the Lord has commanded them not to do, and he is guilty, 28 when he comes to know of the sin that he has committed, he shall bring a she-goat as an offering, without defect, for the sin that he has committed. 29 He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slay it in the place of burnt offerings. 30 The priest shall take a bit of its blood with his finger and place it on the horns of the altar of burnt offerings. He shall then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31 He shall take out all of the fat parts, as one takes out all of the fat parts of a peace offering, and the priest shall burn them on the altar, a pleasing fragrance in honor of the Lord. The priest will make atonement for him and he shall be forgiven. 32 If he brings a lamb as a sin offering, he is to bring a female without defect. 33 He shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and he shall slay it in the place of burnt offerings. 34 The priest shall take a bit of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and he shall place it on the horns of the altar of burnt offerings. He shall then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 35 He shall take out all of the fat parts, as one takes out the fat parts of a lamb in a peace offering, and he shall burn them on the altar upon the burnt offerings in honor of the Lord. The priest shall make atonement for him and the sin that he committed and he shall be forgiven.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 4:1 Anyone who sinned unintentionally became unclean. To atone for the defect a sacrifice was offered; this rule held for everyone, but the offering varied according to the character of the guilty party. A sin of the high priest, who was leader of the people of God, especially after the Exile, rested on the entire community; consequently, the expiation for it was celebrated in a solemn fashion. The blood rite, the expiatory value of which will be seen further on (ch. 17), was the central point of the sacrifice; for the sins of the high priest as well as for the sins of the community, the blood was poured out inside the sanctuary. What remained of the victim was consumed by fire outside the encampment; the priests, being themselves sinners, had no right to eat of this sacred offering, since the sacrifice was for the entire community (v. 12). This type of sacrifice makes clear the ritual aspect of the fault, that is, it reflects a more primitive and less interior concept of sin.
- Leviticus 4:1 Whereas burnt offerings, cereal offerings, and peace offerings were voluntary acts of worship, atonement for sins committed unintentionally was mandatory and usually involved faults concerning worship. As soon as one became aware of such a fault, one was required to bring a sin offering to the Lord. For those who were unaware of a fault, an annual Day of Atonement provided reconciliation for sins that had not been atoned for.
- Leviticus 4:12 Pure place: this was a place that was considered to be ritually clean and was not concerned with dirt or physical cleanliness.
- Leviticus 4:20 Will be forgiven: this phrase, emphasizing God’s forgiveness, is repeated numerous times in this section and reinforces the repeated assurance of God’s mercy needed by all God’s children throughout the ages.
Leviticus 4
King James Version
Leviticus 4
King James Version
4 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:
3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering.
4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the Lord.
5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation:
6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary.
7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away,
10 As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
11 And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung,
12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;
14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.
15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the Lord: and the bullock shall be killed before the Lord.
16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation:
17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, even before the vail.
18 And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the Lord, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
19 And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.
20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.
22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty;
23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:
24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the Lord: it is a sin offering.
25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty;
28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the Lord; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
Levítico 4
Nueva Versión Internacional
Levítico 4
Nueva Versión Internacional
El sacrificio de perdón de pecados
4 El Señor ordenó a Moisés 2 que dijera a los israelitas: «Cuando alguien viole involuntariamente cualquiera de los mandamientos del Señor e incurra en algo que esté prohibido, se procederá de la siguiente manera:
El perdón por el pecado del sacerdote
3 »Si el que peca es el sacerdote ungido, haciendo con ello culpable al pueblo, deberá ofrecer al Señor, como sacrificio para el perdón por su pecado, un ternero sin defecto. 4 Llevará el novillo ante el Señor a la entrada de la Tienda de reunión y pondrá la mano sobre la cabeza del novillo, al que degollará en presencia del Señor. 5 El sacerdote ungido tomará un poco de la sangre del novillo y la llevará a la Tienda de reunión. 6 Mojará el dedo en la sangre y rociará con ella siete veces en dirección a la cortina del santuario, en presencia del Señor. 7 Después, el sacerdote untará un poco de la sangre en los cuernos del altar del incienso aromático que está ante el Señor, en la Tienda de reunión. El resto de la sangre del novillo la derramará al pie del altar del holocausto, que está a la entrada de la Tienda de reunión. 8 Luego, al novillo del sacrificio para el perdón de su pecado le sacará toda la grasa que recubre los intestinos y la que se adhiere a estos, 9 los dos riñones y la grasa que los recubre, la grasa que recubre los lomos y también el lóbulo del hígado, el cual se extraerá junto con los riñones. 10 Esto se hará tal y como se saca la grasa de la res para el sacrificio de comunión. Entonces el sacerdote quemará todo esto en el altar del holocausto, 11 pero sacará del campamento la piel y toda la carne del novillo, junto con la cabeza, las patas, los intestinos y el excremento. 12 Todo esto, es decir, el resto del novillo, lo sacará del campamento y lo llevará a un lugar ritualmente puro, al vertedero de la ceniza, y dejará que se consuma sobre la leña encendida. Sobre el vertedero de la ceniza se consumirá.
El perdón por el pecado de la comunidad
13 »Si la que peca involuntariamente es toda la comunidad de Israel, toda la asamblea será culpable de haber hecho algo que los mandamientos del Señor prohíben. 14 Cuando la asamblea se dé cuenta del pecado que ha cometido, deberá ofrecer un ternero como sacrificio para el perdón de su pecado. Lo llevarán a la Tienda de reunión 15 y allí, en presencia del Señor, los jefes de la comunidad impondrán las manos sobre la cabeza del novillo y lo degollarán. 16 Luego el sacerdote ungido tomará un poco de la sangre del novillo y la llevará a la Tienda de reunión. 17 Mojará el dedo en la sangre y rociará con ella siete veces en dirección a la cortina en presencia del Señor. 18 Después untará un poco de la sangre en los cuernos del altar, que está ante el Señor, en la Tienda de reunión. El resto de la sangre la derramará al pie del altar del holocausto, que está a la entrada de la Tienda de reunión, 19 y sacará del animal toda la grasa, quemándola en el altar. 20 Se hará con este novillo lo mismo que se hace con el de la ofrenda por el perdón de pecados. Así el sacerdote pedirá perdón por el pecado de ellos, y serán perdonados. 21 Luego, sacará del campamento el resto del novillo y dejará que se consuma en el fuego, como el otro. Este es el sacrificio para el perdón por el pecado de la asamblea.
El perdón por el pecado de un gobernante
22 »Si el que peca involuntariamente es uno de los gobernantes, e incurre en algo que los mandamientos del Señor su Dios prohíben, será culpable. 23 Cuando se le haga saber que ha cometido un pecado, llevará como ofrenda un macho cabrío sin defecto. 24 Pondrá la mano sobre la cabeza del macho cabrío y lo degollará en presencia del Señor, en el mismo lugar donde se degüellan los animales para el holocausto. Es un sacrificio para obtener el perdón de pecado. 25 Entonces el sacerdote tomará con el dedo un poco de la sangre del sacrificio para el perdón y la untará en los cuernos del altar del holocausto, después de lo cual derramará al pie del altar del holocausto el resto de la sangre. 26 Toda la grasa del animal la quemará en el altar, tal como se hace con el sacrificio de comunión. Así el sacerdote pedirá perdón por el pecado del gobernante y su pecado será perdonado.
El perdón por el pecado de un miembro del pueblo
27 »Si el que peca involuntariamente es alguien del pueblo, e incurre en algo que los mandamientos del Señor prohíben, será culpable. 28 Cuando se le haga saber que ha cometido un pecado, llevará como ofrenda por su pecado una cabra sin defecto. 29 Pondrá la mano sobre la cabeza de la ofrenda por el pecado y lo degollará en el lugar donde se degüellan los animales para el holocausto. 30 Entonces el sacerdote tomará con el dedo un poco de la sangre y la untará en los cuernos del altar del holocausto, después de lo cual derramará el resto de la sangre al pie del altar. 31 Luego, sacará al animal toda la grasa, tal y como se saca la grasa al sacrificio de comunión, y el sacerdote la quemará toda en el altar como aroma grato al Señor. Así el sacerdote pedirá perdón por él, y su pecado será perdonado.
32 »Si la persona ofrece como sacrificio para obtener el perdón un cordero, deberá presentar una hembra sin defecto. 33 Pondrá la mano sobre la cabeza del animal y lo degollará como sacrificio para perdón en el lugar donde se degüellan los animales para el holocausto. 34 Entonces el sacerdote tomará con el dedo un poco de la sangre del sacrificio para el perdón y la untará en los cuernos del altar del holocausto, después de lo cual derramará al pie del altar el resto de la sangre. 35 Luego le sacará al animal toda la grasa, tal y como se saca la grasa al cordero del sacrificio de comunión, y el sacerdote la quemará en el altar sobre la ofrenda puesta al fuego ante el Señor. Así el sacerdote pedirá perdón por el pecado de esa persona, y el pecado que haya cometido será perdonado.
Leviticus 4
New International Version
Leviticus 4
New International Version
The Sin Offering
4 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally(A) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands(B)—
3 “‘If the anointed priest(C) sins,(D) bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull(E) without defect(F) as a sin offering[a](G) for the sin he has committed.(H) 4 He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord.(I) He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the Lord. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood(J) and carry it into the tent of meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle(K) some of it seven times before the Lord,(L) in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.(M) 7 The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns(N) of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar(O) of burnt offering(P) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He shall remove all the fat(Q) from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, 9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys(R)— 10 just as the fat is removed from the ox[b](S) sacrificed as a fellowship offering.(T) Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.(U) 11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines(V)— 12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp(W) to a place ceremonially clean,(X) where the ashes(Y) are thrown, and burn it(Z) there in a wood fire on the ash heap.(AA)
13 “‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally(AB) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt 14 and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull(AC) as a sin offering(AD) and present it before the tent of meeting. 15 The elders(AE) of the community are to lay their hands(AF) on the bull’s head(AG) before the Lord, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord.(AH) 16 Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood(AI) into the tent of meeting. 17 He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle(AJ) it before the Lord(AK) seven times in front of the curtain. 18 He is to put some of the blood(AL) on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord(AM) in the tent of meeting. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar(AN) of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 He shall remove all the fat(AO) from it and burn it on the altar,(AP) 20 and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement(AQ) for the community, and they will be forgiven.(AR) 21 Then he shall take the bull outside the camp(AS) and burn it as he burned the first bull. This is the sin offering for the community.(AT)
22 “‘When a leader(AU) sins unintentionally(AV) and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt 23 and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat(AW) without defect. 24 He is to lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the Lord.(AX) It is a sin offering.(AY) 25 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar(AZ) of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.(BA) 26 He shall burn all the fat on the altar as he burned the fat of the fellowship offering. In this way the priest will make atonement(BB) for the leader’s sin, and he will be forgiven.(BC)
27 “‘If any member of the community sins unintentionally(BD) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, when they realize their guilt 28 and the sin they have committed becomes known, they must bring as their offering(BE) for the sin they committed a female goat(BF) without defect. 29 They are to lay their hand on the head(BG) of the sin offering(BH) and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.(BI) 30 Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering(BJ) and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31 They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar(BK) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BL) In this way the priest will make atonement(BM) for them, and they will be forgiven.(BN)
32 “‘If someone brings a lamb(BO) as their sin offering, they are to bring a female without defect.(BP) 33 They are to lay their hand on its head and slaughter it(BQ) for a sin offering(BR) at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.(BS) 34 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.(BT) 35 They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar(BU) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 4:3 Or purification offering; here and throughout this chapter
- Leviticus 4:10 The Hebrew word can refer to either male or female.
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