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Deuteronomy 12:6-19
Contemporary English Version
Deuteronomy 12:6-19
Contemporary English Version
5-19 (A) Soon you will cross the Jordan, and the Lord will help you conquer your enemies and let you live in peace, there in the land he has given you. But after you are settled, life will be different. You must not offer sacrifices just anywhere you want to. Instead, the Lord will choose a place somewhere in Israel where you must go to worship him. All of your sacrifices and offerings must be taken there, including sacrifices to please the Lord[a] and any gift you promise or voluntarily give him. That's where you must also take one tenth of your grain, wine, and olive oil,[b] as well as the first-born of your cattle, sheep, and goats.[c] You and your family and servants will eat your gifts and sacrifices[d] and celebrate there at the place of worship, because the Lord your God has made you successful in everything you have done. And since Levites will not have any land of their own, you must ask some of them to come along and celebrate with you.
Sometimes you may want to kill an animal for food and not as a sacrifice. If the Lord has blessed you and given you enough cows or sheep or goats, then you can butcher one of them where you live. You can eat it just like the meat from a deer or gazelle that you kill when you go hunting. And even those people who are unclean and unfit for worship can have some of the meat. But you must not eat the blood of any animal—let the blood drain out on the ground.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 12.5-19 sacrifices to please the Lord: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “whole burnt offerings” because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the Lord with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called “sacrifices to please the Lord.”
- 12.5-19 one tenth of your grain, wine, and olive oil: The Israelites had to give one tenth of their harvest of these products to the Lord each year (see 14.22-29; 26.12,13; Leviticus 27.30-33).
- 12.5-19 the first-born of your cattle, sheep, and goats: The Israelites had to sacrifice these to the Lord (see 15.19-22).
- 12.5-19 sacrifices: Some sacrifices were completely burned on the altar; in other sacrifices, part of the animal was burned and part was given to the priests, but most of the meat was eaten by the worshipers as a sacred meal.
Deuteronomy 12:6-19
New International Version
Deuteronomy 12:6-19
New International Version
6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes(A) and special gifts, what you have vowed(B) to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.(C) 7 There, in the presence(D) of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice(E) in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.
8 You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit,(F) 9 since you have not yet reached the resting place(G) and the inheritance(H) the Lord your God is giving you. 10 But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving(I) you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest(J) from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. 11 Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name(K)—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord.(L) 12 And there rejoice(M) before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites(N) from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance(O) of their own. 13 Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please.(P) 14 Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose(Q) in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.
15 Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer,(R) according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it. 16 But you must not eat the blood;(S) pour(T) it out on the ground like water.(U) 17 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe(V) of your grain and new wine and olive oil,(W) or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give,(X) or your freewill offerings or special gifts.(Y) 18 Instead, you are to eat(Z) them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose(AA)—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice(AB) before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. 19 Be careful not to neglect the Levites(AC) as long as you live in your land.(AD)
Deuteronomy 12:6-19
Contemporary English Version
Deuteronomy 12:6-19
Contemporary English Version
5-19 (A) Soon you will cross the Jordan, and the Lord will help you conquer your enemies and let you live in peace, there in the land he has given you. But after you are settled, life will be different. You must not offer sacrifices just anywhere you want to. Instead, the Lord will choose a place somewhere in Israel where you must go to worship him. All of your sacrifices and offerings must be taken there, including sacrifices to please the Lord[a] and any gift you promise or voluntarily give him. That's where you must also take one tenth of your grain, wine, and olive oil,[b] as well as the first-born of your cattle, sheep, and goats.[c] You and your family and servants will eat your gifts and sacrifices[d] and celebrate there at the place of worship, because the Lord your God has made you successful in everything you have done. And since Levites will not have any land of their own, you must ask some of them to come along and celebrate with you.
Sometimes you may want to kill an animal for food and not as a sacrifice. If the Lord has blessed you and given you enough cows or sheep or goats, then you can butcher one of them where you live. You can eat it just like the meat from a deer or gazelle that you kill when you go hunting. And even those people who are unclean and unfit for worship can have some of the meat. But you must not eat the blood of any animal—let the blood drain out on the ground.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 12.5-19 sacrifices to please the Lord: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “whole burnt offerings” because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the Lord with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called “sacrifices to please the Lord.”
- 12.5-19 one tenth of your grain, wine, and olive oil: The Israelites had to give one tenth of their harvest of these products to the Lord each year (see 14.22-29; 26.12,13; Leviticus 27.30-33).
- 12.5-19 the first-born of your cattle, sheep, and goats: The Israelites had to sacrifice these to the Lord (see 15.19-22).
- 12.5-19 sacrifices: Some sacrifices were completely burned on the altar; in other sacrifices, part of the animal was burned and part was given to the priests, but most of the meat was eaten by the worshipers as a sacred meal.
Deuteronomy 12:6-8
New International Version
Deuteronomy 12:6-8
New International Version
6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes(A) and special gifts, what you have vowed(B) to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.(C) 7 There, in the presence(D) of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice(E) in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.
8 You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit,(F)
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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