20 (A)He who sacrifices to [a]any god, other than to the Lord alone, shall be [b]utterly destroyed.

21 (B)You shall not oppress a stranger nor torment him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 (C)You shall not oppress any widow or orphan. 23 If you oppress him at all, and (D)if he does cry out to Me, (E)I will assuredly hear his cry; 24 and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, (F)and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

25 (G)If you lend money to My people, to the poor [c]among you, you are not to [d]act as a creditor to him; you shall not [e]charge him (H)interest. 26 If you ever seize your neighbor’s cloak (I)as a pledge, you are to return it to him before the sun sets, 27 for that is his only covering; it is his cloak for his [f]body. What else is he to sleep in? And it will come about that (J)when he cries out to Me, I will listen to him, for (K)I am gracious.

28 “You shall not [g](L)curse God, (M)nor curse a ruler of your people.

29 (N)You shall not hold back the offering from your entire harvest and your [h]wine. (O)The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30 (P)You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep. It shall be with its mother for seven days; (Q)on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.

31 (R)You shall be holy people to Me, therefore (S)you shall not eat any flesh torn to pieces in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

Various Laws

23 (T)You shall not give a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked person to be a (U)malicious witness. You shall not follow [i]the crowd in doing evil, nor shall you [j]testify in a dispute so as to join together with [k]a crowd in order to (V)pervert justice; (W)nor shall you [l]show favor to a poor person in his dispute.

(X)If you encounter your enemy’s ox or his donkey wandering away, you must return it to him. (Y)If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall not leave it helpless for [m]its owner; you must arrange the load with him.

(Z)You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute. (AA)Keep far from a false charge, and (AB)do not kill the innocent or the righteous, for (AC)I will not acquit the guilty.

(AD)You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and [n]subverts the cause of the just.

(AE)You shall not oppress a stranger, since you yourselves know the [o]feelings of a stranger, for you also were strangers in the land of Egypt.

The Sabbath and the Land

10 “Now (AF)you shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11 but in the seventh year you shall let it [p]rest and lie uncultivated, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the animal of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

12 (AG)For six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as the stranger residing with you, may refresh themselves. 13 Now (AH)concerning everything which I have said to you, be careful; and (AI)do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard [q]from your mouth.

Three National Feasts

14 (AJ)Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15 You shall keep (AK)the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the (AL)month of Abib, for in [r]that month you came out of Egypt. And [s](AM)no one is to appear before Me empty-handed. 16 Also you shall keep (AN)the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year (AO)when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17 (AP)Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord [t]God.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 22:20 Lit the gods
  2. Exodus 22:20 Lit put under the ban
  3. Exodus 22:25 Lit with
  4. Exodus 22:25 Lit be
  5. Exodus 22:25 Lit lay upon
  6. Exodus 22:27 Lit skin
  7. Exodus 22:28 Or revile
  8. Exodus 22:29 Lit juice
  9. Exodus 23:2 Lit many
  10. Exodus 23:2 Or answer
  11. Exodus 23:2 Lit many
  12. Exodus 23:3 Lit honor
  13. Exodus 23:5 Lit him
  14. Exodus 23:8 Or distorts the words
  15. Exodus 23:9 Lit soul
  16. Exodus 23:11 Lit drop
  17. Exodus 23:13 Lit on
  18. Exodus 23:15 Lit it
  19. Exodus 23:15 Lit they shall not
  20. Exodus 23:17 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

20 “Whoever sacrifices to any god(A) other than the Lord must be destroyed.[a](B)

21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,(C) for you were foreigners(D) in Egypt.

22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.(E) 23 If you do and they cry out(F) to me, I will certainly hear their cry.(G) 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.(H)

25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.(I) 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,(J) return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?(K) When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.(L)

28 “Do not blaspheme God[b](M) or curse(N) the ruler of your people.(O)

29 “Do not hold back offerings(P) from your granaries or your vats.[c]

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.(Q) 30 Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.(R) Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.(S)

31 “You are to be my holy people.(T) So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;(U) throw it to the dogs.

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports.(V) Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.(W)

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice(X) by siding with the crowd,(Y) and do not show favoritism(Z) to a poor person in a lawsuit.

“If you come across your enemy’s(AA) ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.(AB) If you see the donkey(AC) of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

“Do not deny justice(AD) to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge(AE) and do not put an innocent(AF) or honest person to death,(AG) for I will not acquit the guilty.(AH)

“Do not accept a bribe,(AI) for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

“Do not oppress a foreigner;(AJ) you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

Sabbath Laws

10 “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused.(AK) Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

12 “Six days do your work,(AL) but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.(AM)

13 “Be careful(AN) to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods;(AO) do not let them be heard on your lips.(AP)

The Three Annual Festivals

14 “Three times(AQ) a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

15 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread;(AR) for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv,(AS) for in that month you came out of Egypt.

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.(AT)

16 “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest(AU) with the firstfruits(AV) of the crops you sow in your field.

“Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering(AW) at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.(AX)

17 “Three times(AY) a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 22:20 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  2. Exodus 22:28 Or Do not revile the judges
  3. Exodus 22:29 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

Words to the Jews

41 (A)So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that (B)came down out of heaven.” 42 And they were saying, “(C)Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother (D)we know? How does He now say, (E)I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me (F)draws him; and I will (G)raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written (H)in the Prophets: ‘(I)And they shall all be (J)taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 (K)Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes (L)has eternal life. 48 (M)I am the bread of life. 49 (N)Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread that (O)comes down out of heaven, so that anyone may eat from it and (P)not die. 51 (Q)I am the living bread that (R)came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, (S)he will live forever; and the bread which I will give (T)for the life of the world also is (U)My flesh.”

52 (V)Then the Jews (W)began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of (X)the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will (Y)raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood (Z)remains in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the (AA)living Father (AB)sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread that (AC)came down out of heaven, not as (AD)the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread (AE)will live forever.”

Words to the Disciples

59 These things He said (AF)in the synagogue as He taught (AG)in Capernaum.

60 So then many of His (AH)disciples, when they heard this, said, “(AI)This statement is very [a]unpleasant; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, (AJ)aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this [b](AK)offensive to you? 62 What then if you see (AL)the Son of Man (AM)ascending to where He was before? 63 (AN)It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; (AO)the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. 64 But there are (AP)some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus (AQ)knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and (AR)who it was who would [c]betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have (AS)told you that no one can come to Me unless (AT)it has been granted him from the Father.”

Peter’s Confession of Faith

66 As a result of this many of His (AU)disciples (AV)left, and would no longer walk with Him. 67 So Jesus said to (AW)the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?” 68 (AX)Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have (AY)words of eternal life. 69 And we have already believed and have come to know that You are (AZ)the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, (BA)Did I Myself not choose you, (BB)the twelve? And yet one of you is (BC)a devil.” 71 Now He meant Judas (BD)the son of Simon Iscariot; for he, (BE)one of (BF)the twelve, [d]was going to betray Him.

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Footnotes

  1. John 6:60 Or hard
  2. John 6:61 Or shocking
  3. John 6:64 Or hand Him over
  4. John 6:71 Or was intending to

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,(A) whose father and mother we know?(B) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”(C)

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,(D) and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[a](E) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;(F) only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.(G) 48 I am the bread of life.(H) 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.(I) 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,(J) which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread(K) that came down from heaven.(L) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”(M)

52 Then the Jews(N) began to argue sharply among themselves,(O) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh(P) of the Son of Man(Q) and drink his blood,(R) you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.(S) 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.(T) 57 Just as the living Father sent me(U) and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”(V) 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples(W) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”(X)

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?(Y) 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man(Z) ascend to where he was before!(AA) 63 The Spirit gives life;(AB) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[b] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known(AC) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.(AD) 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”(AE)

66 From this time many of his disciples(AF) turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.(AG)

68 Simon Peter answered him,(AH) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.(AI) 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”(AJ)

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,(AK) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”(AL) 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,(AM) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)(AN)

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Footnotes

  1. John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13
  2. John 6:63 Or are Spirit; or are spirit

18 (A)You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; (B)nor is the fat of My [a]feast to remain overnight until morning.

19 “You shall bring (C)the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the Lord your God.

(D)You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother.

Conquest of the Land

20 “Behold, I am going to send (E)an angel before you to guard you along the way and (F)to bring you into the place which I have prepared. 21 Be attentive to him and obey his voice; (G)do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your rebellion, since (H)My name is in him. 22 But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then (I)I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. 23 (J)For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I will completely destroy them. 24 (K)You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds; (L)but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their (M)memorial stones in pieces. 25 (N)And you shall serve the Lord your God, [b]and He will bless your bread and your water; and (O)I will remove sickness from your midst. 26 There will be no one miscarrying or (P)unable to have children in your land; (Q)I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will (R)send My terror ahead of you, and (S)throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will (T)make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send (U)hornets ahead of you so that they will (V)drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from you. 29 (W)I will not drive them out from you in a single year, so that the land will not become desolate and the animals of the field become too numerous for you. 30 I will drive them out from you (X)little by little, until you become fruitful and take possession of the land. 31 (Y)I will set your boundary from the [c]Red Sea to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates River; (Z)for I will hand over the inhabitants of the land to you, and you will (AA)drive them out from you. 32 (AB)You shall [d]make no covenant with them (AC)or with their gods. 33 (AD)They shall not live in your land, otherwise they will make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, (AE)it is certain to be a snare to you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 23:18 Or festival
  2. Exodus 23:25 Or that He may bless
  3. Exodus 23:31 Lit Sea of Reeds
  4. Exodus 23:32 Lit cut

18 “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.(A)

“The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.(B)

19 “Bring the best of the firstfruits(C) of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.(D)

God’s Angel to Prepare the Way

20 “See, I am sending an angel(E) ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.(F) 21 Pay attention to him and listen(G) to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive(H) your rebellion,(I) since my Name(J) is in him. 22 If you listen carefully to what he says and do(K) all that I say, I will be an enemy(L) to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23 My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites,(M) and I will wipe them out. 24 Do not bow down before their gods or worship(N) them or follow their practices.(O) You must demolish(P) them and break their sacred stones(Q) to pieces. 25 Worship the Lord your God,(R) and his blessing(S) will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness(T) from among you, 26 and none will miscarry or be barren(U) in your land. I will give you a full life span.(V)

27 “I will send my terror(W) ahead of you and throw into confusion(X) every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run.(Y) 28 I will send the hornet(Z) ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites(AA) out of your way. 29 But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals(AB) too numerous for you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession(AC) of the land.

31 “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea[a] to the Mediterranean Sea,[b] and from the desert to the Euphrates River.(AD) I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out(AE) before you. 32 Do not make a covenant(AF) with them or with their gods. 33 Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare(AG) to you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 23:31 Or the Sea of Reeds
  2. Exodus 23:31 Hebrew to the Sea of the Philistines

The Armor of God

10 Finally, (A)be strong in the Lord and in (B)the strength of His might. 11 (C)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the (D)schemes of the devil. 12 For our (E)struggle is not against [a](F)flesh and blood, but (G)against the rulers, against the powers, against the (H)world forces of this (I)darkness, against the (J)spiritual forces of wickedness in (K)the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up (L)the full armor of God, so that you will be able to (M)resist on (N)the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, (O)having belted your waist with truth, and having (P)put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having (Q)strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 [b]in addition to all, taking up the (R)shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the (S)flaming arrows of (T)the evil one. 17 And take (U)the helmet of salvation and the (V)sword of the Spirit, which is (W)the word of God.

18 [c]With every (X)prayer and request, [d](Y)pray at all times (Z)in the Spirit, and with this in view, [e](AA)be alert with all (AB)perseverance and every (AC)request for all the [f]saints, 19 and (AD)pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me (AE)in the opening of my mouth, to make known with (AF)boldness (AG)the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an (AH)ambassador (AI)in [g]chains; that [h]in proclaiming it I may speak (AJ)boldly, (AK)as I ought to speak.

21 (AL)Now, so that you also may know about my circumstances as to [i]what I am doing, (AM)Tychicus, (AN)the beloved brother and faithful [j]servant in the Lord, will make everything known to you. 22 [k](AO)I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know [l]about us, and that he may (AP)comfort your hearts.

23 (AQ)Peace be to the brothers and sisters, and (AR)love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ [m]with incorruptible love.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 6:12 Lit blood and flesh
  2. Ephesians 6:16 Lit in all
  3. Ephesians 6:18 Lit Through
  4. Ephesians 6:18 Lit praying
  5. Ephesians 6:18 Lit being
  6. Ephesians 6:18 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  7. Ephesians 6:20 Lit a chain
  8. Ephesians 6:20 Two early mss I may speak it boldly
  9. Ephesians 6:21 Or how
  10. Ephesians 6:21 Or minister
  11. Ephesians 6:22 Lit Whom I have sent to you
  12. Ephesians 6:22 Lit the things about us
  13. Ephesians 6:24 Lit in incorruption

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord(A) and in his mighty power.(B) 11 Put on the full armor of God,(C) so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,(D) but against the rulers, against the authorities,(E) against the powers(F) of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(G) 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God,(H) so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,(I) with the breastplate of righteousness in place,(J) 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.(K) 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,(L) with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.(M) 17 Take the helmet of salvation(N) and the sword of the Spirit,(O) which is the word of God.(P)

18 And pray in the Spirit(Q) on all occasions(R) with all kinds of prayers and requests.(S) With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying(T) for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me,(U) that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly(V) make known the mystery(W) of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador(X) in chains.(Y) Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Final Greetings

21 Tychicus,(Z) the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are,(AA) and that he may encourage you.(AB)

23 Peace(AC) to the brothers and sisters,[a] and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 6:23 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.
  2. Ephesians 6:24 Or Grace and immortality to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.