Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

12 And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

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Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts,(A) is near,” so that you do not show ill will(B) toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.(C) 10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart;(D) then because of this the Lord your God will bless(E) you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people(F) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.(G)

Freeing Servants(H)(I)

12 If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free.(J)

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