Unlawful Sexual Relations

18 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.^{(A) 3} You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.^{(B) 4} You must obey my laws^(C) and be careful to follow my decrees.^(D) I am the Lord your God.^{(E) 5} Keep my decrees and laws,^(F) for the person who obeys them will live by them.^(G) I am the Lord.

⁶ “‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.

⁷ “‘Do not dishonor your father^(H) by having sexual relations with your mother.^(I) She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

⁸ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;^(J) that would dishonor your father.^(K)

⁹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister,^(L) either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.^(M)

¹⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

¹¹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

¹² “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister;^(N) she is your father’s close relative.

¹³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,^(O) because she is your mother’s close relative.

¹⁴ “‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.^(P)

¹⁵ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.^(Q) She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.^(R)

¹⁶ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;^(S) that would dishonor your brother.

¹⁷ “‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.^(T) Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

¹⁸ “‘Do not take your wife’s sister^(U) as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

¹⁹ “‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness^(V) of her monthly period.^(W)

²⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife^(X) and defile yourself with her.

²¹ “‘Do not give any of your children^(Y) to be sacrificed to Molek,^(Z) for you must not profane the name of your God.^(AA) I am the Lord.^(AB)

²² “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman;^(AC) that is detestable.^(AD)

²³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.^(AE)

²⁴ “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you^(AF) became defiled.^{(AG) 25} Even the land was defiled;^(AH) so I punished it for its sin,^(AI) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.^{(AJ) 26} But you must keep my decrees and my laws.^(AK) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, ²⁷ for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. ²⁸ And if you defile the land,^(AL) it will vomit you out^(AM) as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

²⁹ “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. ³⁰ Keep my requirements^(AN) and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.^(AO)’”

Various Laws

19 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel^(A) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,^(B) am holy.^(C)

³ “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father,^(D) and you must observe my Sabbaths.^(E) I am the Lord your God.^(F)

⁴ “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.^(G) I am the Lord your God.^(H)

⁵ “‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. ⁶ It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.^{(I) 7} If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.^{(J) 8} Whoever eats it will be held responsible^(K) because they have desecrated what is holy^(L) to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people.^(M)

⁹ “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges^(N) of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^{(O) 10} Do not go over your vineyard a second time^(P) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.^(Q) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.^(R) I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ “‘Do not steal.^(S)

“‘Do not lie.^(T)

“‘Do not deceive one another.^(U)

¹² “‘Do not swear falsely^(V) by my name^(W) and so profane^(X) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

¹³ “‘Do not defraud or rob^(Y) your neighbor.^(Z)

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker^(AA) overnight.^(AB)

¹⁴ “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,^(AC) but fear your God.^(AD) I am the Lord.

¹⁵ “‘Do not pervert justice;^(AE) do not show partiality^(AF) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(AG) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(AH)

¹⁶ “‘Do not go about spreading slander^(AI) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.^(AJ) I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.^(AK) Rebuke your neighbor frankly^(AL) so you will not share in their guilt.

¹⁸ “‘Do not seek revenge^(AM) or bear a grudge^(AN) against anyone among your people,^(AO) but love your neighbor^(AP) as yourself.^(AQ) I am the Lord.

¹⁹ “‘Keep my decrees.^(AR)

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.^(AS)

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.^(AT)

²⁰ “‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man^(AU) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.^[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. ²¹ The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord.^{(AV) 22} With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.^(AW)

²³ “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[c]; it must not be eaten. ²⁴ In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,^(AX) an offering of praise to the Lord. ²⁵ But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

²⁶ “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.^(AY)

“‘Do not practice divination^(AZ) or seek omens.^(BA)

²⁷ “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.^(BB)

²⁸ “‘Do not cut^(BC) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

²⁹ “‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,^(BD) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.^(BE)

³⁰ “‘Observe my Sabbaths^(BF) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.^(BG)

³¹ “‘Do not turn to mediums^(BH) or seek out spiritists,^(BI) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

³² “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect^(BJ) for the elderly^(BK) and revere your God.^(BL) I am the Lord.^(BM)

³³ “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. ³⁴ The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.^(BN) Love them as yourself,^(BO) for you were foreigners^(BP) in Egypt.^(BQ) I am the Lord your God.

³⁵ “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.^{(BR) 36} Use honest scales^(BS) and honest weights, an honest ephah^[d](BT) and an honest hin.^[e](BU) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.^(BV)

³⁷ “‘Keep all my decrees^(BW) and all my laws^(BX) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Punishments for Sin

20 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death.^(A) The members of the community are to stone him.^{(B) 3} I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people;^(C) for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled^(D) my sanctuary^(E) and profaned my holy name.^{(F) 4} If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,^{(G) 5} I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

⁶ “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.^(H)

⁷ “‘Consecrate yourselves^(I) and be holy,^(J) because I am the Lord your God.^{(K) 8} Keep my decrees^(L) and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.^(M)

⁹ “‘Anyone who curses their father^(N) or mother^(O) is to be put to death.^(P) Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.^(Q)

¹⁰ “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife^(R)—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.^(S)

¹¹ “‘If a man has sexual relations with his father’s wife, he has dishonored his father.^(T) Both the man and the woman are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.^(U)

¹² “‘If a man has sexual relations with his daughter-in-law,^(V) both of them are to be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹³ “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.^(W) They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹⁴ “‘If a man marries both a woman and her mother,^(X) it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire,^(Y) so that no wickedness will be among you.^(Z)

¹⁵ “‘If a man has sexual relations with an animal,^(AA) he is to be put to death,^(AB) and you must kill the animal.

¹⁶ “‘If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹⁷ “‘If a man marries his sister^(AC), the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed^(AD) from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.^(AE)

¹⁸ “‘If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period,^(AF) he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people.^(AG)

¹⁹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father,^(AH) for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.

²⁰ “‘If a man has sexual relations with his aunt,^(AI) he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.^(AJ)

²¹ “‘If a man marries his brother’s wife,^(AK) it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.^(AL)

²² “‘Keep all my decrees and laws^(AM) and follow them, so that the land^(AN) where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. ²³ You must not live according to the customs of the nations^(AO) I am going to drive out before you.^(AP) Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.^{(AQ) 24} But I said to you, “You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.”^(AR) I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.^(AS)

²⁵ “‘You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds.^(AT) Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you. ²⁶ You are to be holy to me^(AU) because I, the Lord, am holy,^(AV) and I have set you apart from the nations^(AW) to be my own.

²⁷ “‘A man or woman who is a medium^(AX) or spiritist among you must be put to death.^(AY) You are to stone them;^(AZ) their blood will be on their own heads.’”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus^(A)

22 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching,^{(B) 2} and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus,^(C) for they were afraid of the people. ³ Then Satan^(D) entered Judas, called Iscariot,^(E) one of the Twelve. ⁴ And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard^(F) and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵ They were delighted and agreed to give him money.^{(G) 6} He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

The Last Supper^{(H)(I)(J)(K)(L)}

⁷ Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.^{(M) 8} Jesus sent Peter and John,^(N) saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

⁹ “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.

¹⁰ He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, ¹¹ and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹² He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

¹³ They left and found things just as Jesus had told them.^(O) So they prepared the Passover.

¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles^(P) reclined at the table.^{(Q) 15} And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.^{(R) 16} For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”^(S)

¹⁷ After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸ For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

¹⁹ And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it,^(T) and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

²⁰ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant^(U) in my blood, which is poured out for you.^{[a] 21} But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.^{(V) 22} The Son of Man^(W) will go as it has been decreed.^(X) But woe to that man who betrays him!” ²³ They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

²⁴ A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.^{(Y) 25} Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶ But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest,^(Z) and the one who rules like the one who serves.^{(AA) 27} For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.^{(AB) 28} You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹ And I confer on you a kingdom,^(AC) just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom^(AD) and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.^(AE)

³¹ “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked^(AF) to sift all of you as wheat.^{(AG) 32} But I have prayed for you,^(AH) Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”^(AI)

³³ But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”^(AJ)

³⁴ Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

³⁵ Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals,^(AK) did you lack anything?”

“Nothing,” they answered.

³⁶ He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. ³⁷ It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’^[b];^(AL) and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

³⁸ The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”

“That’s enough!” he replied.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives^(AM)

³⁹ Jesus went out as usual^(AN) to the Mount of Olives,^(AO) and his disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”^{(AP) 41} He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down^(AQ) and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup^(AR) from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”^{(AS) 43} An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.^{(AT) 44} And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.^[c]

⁴⁵ When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ⁴⁶ “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”^(AU)

Jesus Arrested^(AV)

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸ but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

⁴⁹ When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”^{(AW) 50} And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

⁵¹ But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard,^(AX) and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? ⁵³ Every day I was with you in the temple courts,^(AY) and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour^(AZ)—when darkness reigns.”^(BA)

Peter Disowns Jesus^(BB)

⁵⁴ Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest.^(BC) Peter followed at a distance.^{(BD) 55} And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. ⁵⁶ A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

⁵⁷ But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

⁵⁸ A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

“Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

⁵⁹ About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”^(BE)

⁶⁰ Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord^(BF) turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”^{(BG) 62} And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Guards Mock Jesus^(BH)

⁶³ The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. ⁶⁴ They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” ⁶⁵ And they said many other insulting things to him.^(BI)

Jesus Before Pilate and Herod^(BJ)(BK)(BL)

⁶⁶ At daybreak the council^(BM) of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together,^(BN) and Jesus was led before them. ⁶⁷ “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, ⁶⁸ and if I asked you, you would not answer.^{(BO) 69} But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”^(BP)

⁷⁰ They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”^(BQ)

He replied, “You say that I am.”^(BR)

⁷¹ Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”