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)

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

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

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

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

²¹ “‘Do not give any of your children^(B) to be sacrificed to Molek,^(C) for you must not profane the name of your God.^(D) I am the Lord.^(E)

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

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^(A) became defiled.^{(B) 25} Even the land was defiled;^(C) so I punished it for its sin,^(D) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.^{(E) 26} But you must keep my decrees and my laws.^(F) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things,