Ezekiel 44:15-31
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Levitical Priests
15 “But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me, and they shall attend me to offer me the fat and the blood, says the Lord God.(A) 16 It is they who shall enter my sanctuary; it is they who shall approach my table to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge. 17 When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen vestments; they shall have nothing of wool on them while they minister at the gates of the inner court and within the temple.(B) 18 They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments on their loins; they shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.(C) 19 When they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall remove the vestments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments, so that they may not communicate holiness to the people with their vestments.(D) 20 They shall not shave their heads or let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. 21 No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.(E) 22 They shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but only a virgin of the stock of the house of Israel or a widow who is the widow of a priest.(F) 23 They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.(G) 24 In a dispute they shall act as judges, and they shall decide it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.(H) 25 They shall not defile themselves by going near a dead person; for father or mother, however, and for son or daughter and for brother or unmarried sister they may defile themselves.(I) 26 After he has become clean, they shall count seven days for him.(J) 27 On the day that he goes into the holy place, into the inner court, to minister in the holy place, he shall offer his purification offering, says the Lord God.
28 “This shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance, and you shall give them no holding in Israel; I am their holding.(K) 29 They shall eat the grain offering, the purification offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs.(L) 30 The first of all the first fruits of all kinds and every offering of all kinds from all your offerings shall belong to the priests; you shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, in order that a blessing may rest on your house.(M) 31 The priests shall not eat of anything, whether bird or animal, that died of itself or was torn by animals.(N)
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Ezekiel 44:15-31
Christian Standard Bible
The Priests’ Duties and Privileges
15 “But the Levitical priests descended from Zadok,(A) who kept charge of my sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from me, will approach me to serve me. They will stand before me to offer me fat and blood.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. 16 “They are the ones who may enter my sanctuary(B) and approach my table to serve me.(C) They will keep my mandate. 17 When they enter the gates of the inner court they are to wear linen garments;(D) they must not have on them anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court and within it. 18 They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists.(E) They are not to put on anything that makes them sweat. 19 Before they go out to the outer court,[a] to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes(F) so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.(G)
20 “They may not shave their heads(H) or let their hair grow long,(I) but are to carefully trim their hair. 21 No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.(J) 22 He is not to marry a widow or a divorced woman, but may marry only a virgin from the offspring of the house of Israel,(K) or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23 They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and explain to them the difference between the clean and the unclean.(L)
24 “In a dispute, they will officiate as judges and decide the case according to my ordinances.(M) They are to observe my laws and statutes regarding all my appointed festivals, and keep my Sabbaths holy.(N) 25 A priest may not come near a dead person so that he becomes defiled.(O) However, he may defile himself for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister. 26 After he is cleansed, he is to count off seven days for himself.(P) 27 On the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court(Q) to minister in the sanctuary, he is to present his sin offering.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.
28 “This will be their inheritance: I am their inheritance.(R) You are to give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. 29 They will eat the grain offering, the sin offering,(S) and the guilt offering. Everything in Israel that is permanently dedicated to the Lord will belong to them.(T) 30 The best of all the firstfruits of every kind and contribution of every kind from all your gifts will belong to the priests.(U) You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest(V) so that a blessing may rest on your homes.(W) 31 The priests may not eat any bird or animal that died naturally or was mauled by wild beasts.(X)
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- 44:19 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read court, to the outer court
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.