‘None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the Lord. The nakedness of your father or the nakedness of your mother you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of your (A)father’s wife you shall not uncover; it is your father’s nakedness. (B)The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover. 10 The nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, their nakedness you shall not uncover; for theirs is your own nakedness. 11 The nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father—she is your sister—you shall not uncover her nakedness. 12 (C)You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is near of kin to your father. 13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is near of kin to your mother. 14 (D)You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. 15 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law—she is your son’s wife—you shall not uncover her nakedness. 16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. 17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her (E)daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near of kin to her. It is wickedness. 18 Nor shall you take a woman (F)as a rival to her sister, to uncover her nakedness while the other is alive.

19 ‘Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as (G)long as she is in her (H)customary impurity. 20 (I)Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your (J)neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her. 21 And you shall not let any of your descendants (K)pass through (L)the fire to (M)Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 22 You shall not lie with (N)a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. 23 Nor shall you mate with any (O)animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.

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“‘None[a] of you shall approach anyone who is his close relative[b] to expose nakedness; I am Yahweh. You must not expose your father’s nakedness or[c] your mother’s nakedness—she is your mother; you must not expose her nakedness. You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s wife—it is your father’s nakedness. As for your sister’s nakedness, whether your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home[d] or born abroad,[e] you must not expose their nakedness. 10 As for the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, you must not expose their nakedness, because they are your nakedness. 11 As for the nakedness of the daughter of your father’s wife, she is your sister, a relative of your father; you must not expose her nakedness. 12 You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.[f] 13 You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative.[g] 14 You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not have sex with[h] his wife—she is your aunt. 15 You must not expose your daughter-in-law’s nakedness; she is your son’s wife; you must not expose her nakedness. 16 You must not expose the nakedness of your brother’s wife; she is your brother’s nakedness. 17 You must not expose the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, or her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter; you must not take her as wife[i] to expose her nakedness; they are close relatives[j]—that is wickedness. 18 And you must not take as wife[k] a woman with her sister, to be a rival-wife, to expose her nakedness before her during[l] her life.

19 “‘And you must not have sex with[m] a woman to expose her nakedness during[n] her menstrual uncleanness. 20 And you must not have sex[o] with your fellow citizen’s[p] wife, becoming unclean with her.

21 “‘And you shall not give any of[q] your offspring[r] in order to sacrifice them to Molech, nor[s] shall you profane the name of your God; I am Yahweh. 22 And you shall not lie with a male as lying with[t] a woman; that is a detestable thing. 23 And you shall not have sexual relations[u] with any animal, becoming unclean with it; and a woman shall not stand before[v] an animal to copulate with it—that is a perversion.

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Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 18:6 Literally “a man a man … not”
  2. Leviticus 18:6 Literally “the flesh of his body”
  3. Leviticus 18:7 Or “and”
  4. Leviticus 18:9 Literally “a relative of house”
  5. Leviticus 18:9 Literally “a relative of an outside place”
  6. Leviticus 18:12 Literally “the flesh of your father”
  7. Leviticus 18:13 Literally “the flesh of your mother”
  8. Leviticus 18:14 Literally “approach”
  9. Leviticus 18:17 The verb לקח is used to speak of marrying (“taking a wife”)
  10. Leviticus 18:17 Literally “flesh”; see vv. 6, 12, 13
  11. Leviticus 18:18 The verb לקח is used to speak of marrying (“taking a wife”)
  12. Leviticus 18:18 Literally “in”
  13. Leviticus 18:19 Literally “approach”
  14. Leviticus 18:19 Literally “in”
  15. Leviticus 18:20 Literally “you shall not give your lying down for semen”
  16. Leviticus 18:20 Or “neighbor’s”
  17. Leviticus 18:21 Literally “from”
  18. Leviticus 18:21 Or “descendants”
  19. Leviticus 18:21 Or “and not”
  20. Leviticus 18:22 Literally “of”
  21. Leviticus 18:23 Literally “give your lying down”
  22. Leviticus 18:23 Literally “to the faces of”

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

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

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

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

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;(G) she is your father’s close relative.

13 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,(H) 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.(I)

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

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

17 “‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.(M) 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(N) 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(O) of her monthly period.(P)

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

21 “‘Do not give any of your children(R) to be sacrificed to Molek,(S) for you must not profane the name of your God.(T) I am the Lord.(U)

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

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.(X)

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