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Leviticus 18
Good News Translation
Leviticus 18
Good News Translation
Forbidden Sexual Practices
18 The Lord told Moses 2 to say to the people of Israel, “I am the Lord your God. 3 Do not follow the practices of the people of Egypt, where you once lived, or of the people in the land of Canaan, where I am now taking you. 4 Obey my laws and do what I command. I am the Lord your God. 5 (A)Follow the practices and the laws that I give you; you will save your life by doing so. I am the Lord.”
6 The Lord gave the following regulations. Do not have sexual intercourse with any of your relatives. 7 Do not disgrace your father by having intercourse with your mother. You must not disgrace your own mother. 8 (B)Do not disgrace your father by having intercourse with any of his other wives. 9 (C)Do not have intercourse with your sister or your stepsister, whether or not she was brought up in the same house with you. 10 Do not have intercourse with your granddaughter; that would be a disgrace to you. 11 Do not have intercourse with a half sister; she, too, is your sister. 12-13 (D)Do not have intercourse with an aunt, whether she is your father's sister or your mother's sister. 14 Do not have intercourse with your uncle's wife; she, too, is your aunt. 15 (E)Do not have intercourse with your daughter-in-law 16 (F)or with your brother's wife. 17 (G)Do not have intercourse with the daughter or granddaughter of a woman with whom you have had intercourse; they may be related to you, and that would be incest. 18 Do not take your wife's sister as one of your wives, as long as your wife is living.
19 (H)Do not have intercourse with a woman during her monthly period, because she is ritually unclean. 20 (I)Do not have intercourse with another man's wife; that would make you ritually unclean. 21 (J)Do not hand over any of your children to be used in the worship of the god Molech, because that would bring disgrace on the name of God, the Lord. 22 (K)No man is to have sexual relations with another man; God hates that. 23 (L)No man or woman is to have sexual relations with an animal; that perversion makes you ritually unclean.
24 Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these acts, for that is how the pagans made themselves unclean, those pagans who lived in the land before you and whom the Lord is driving out so that you can go in. 25 Their actions made the land unclean, and so the Lord is punishing the land and making it reject the people who lived there. 26-27 They did all these disgusting things and made the land unclean, but you must not do them. All of you, whether Israelites or foreigners living with you, must keep the Lord's laws and commands, 28 and then the land will not reject you, as it rejected the pagans who lived there before you. 29 You know that whoever does any of these disgusting things will no longer be considered one of God's people.
30 And the Lord said, “Obey the commands I give and do not follow the practices of the people who lived in the land before you, and do not make yourselves unclean by doing any of these things. I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 18
New International Version
Leviticus 18
New International Version
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)’”
Psalm 22
Good News Translation
Psalm 22
Good News Translation
A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise[a]
22 (A)My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I have cried desperately for help,
but still it does not come.
2 During the day I call to you, my God,
but you do not answer;
I call at night,
but get no rest.
3 But you are enthroned as the Holy One,
the one whom Israel praises.
4 Our ancestors put their trust in you;
they trusted you, and you saved them.
5 They called to you and escaped from danger;
they trusted you and were not disappointed.
6 But I am no longer a human being; I am a worm,
despised and scorned by everyone!
7 (B)All who see me make fun of me;
they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.
8 (C)“You relied on the Lord,” they say.
“Why doesn't he save you?
If the Lord likes you,
why doesn't he help you?”
9 It was you who brought me safely through birth,
and when I was a baby, you kept me safe.
10 I have relied on you since the day I was born,
and you have always been my God.
11 Do not stay away from me!
Trouble is near,
and there is no one to help.
12 Many enemies surround me like bulls;
they are all around me,
like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan.
13 They open their mouths like lions,
roaring and tearing at me.
14 My strength is gone,
gone like water spilled on the ground.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15 My throat[b] is as dry as dust,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
You have left me for dead in the dust.
16 An evil gang is around me;
like a pack of dogs they close in on me;
they tear at[c] my hands and feet.
17 All my bones can be seen.
My enemies look at me and stare.
18 (D)They gamble for my clothes
and divide them among themselves.
19 O Lord, don't stay away from me!
Come quickly to my rescue!
20 Save me from the sword;
save my life from these dogs.
21 Rescue me from these lions;
I am helpless[d] before these wild bulls.
22 (E)I will tell my people what you have done;
I will praise you in their assembly:
23 “Praise him, you servants of the Lord!
Honor him, you descendants of Jacob!
Worship him, you people of Israel!
24 He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering;
he does not turn away from them,
but answers when they call for help.”
25 In the full assembly I will praise you for what you have done;
in the presence of those who worship you
I will offer the sacrifices I promised.
26 The poor will eat as much as they want;
those who come to the Lord will praise him.
May they prosper forever!
27 All nations will remember the Lord.
From every part of the world they will turn to him;
all races will worship him.
28 The Lord is king,
and he rules the nations.
29 All proud people will bow down to him;[e]
all mortals will bow down before him.
30 Future generations will serve him;
they will speak of the Lord to the coming generation.
31 People not yet born will be told:
“The Lord saved his people.”
Footnotes
- Psalm 22:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.
- Psalm 22:15 Probable text throat; Hebrew strength.
- Psalm 22:16 Some ancient translations they tear at; others they tie; Hebrew like a lion.
- Psalm 22:21 Some ancient translations I am helpless; Hebrew you answered me.
- Psalm 22:29 Probable text will bow down to him; Hebrew will eat and bow down.
Psalm 22
New International Version
Psalm 22
New International Version
Psalm 22[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Doe of the Morning.” A psalm of David.
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?(A)
Why are you so far(B) from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?(C)
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,(D)
by night,(E) but I find no rest.[b]
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;(F)
you are the one Israel praises.[c](G)
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.(H)
5 To you they cried out(I) and were saved;
in you they trusted(J) and were not put to shame.(K)
6 But I am a worm(L) and not a man,
scorned by everyone,(M) despised(N) by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;(O)
they hurl insults,(P) shaking their heads.(Q)
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him.(R)
Let him deliver him,(S)
since he delights(T) in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;(U)
you made me trust(V) in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth(W) I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
12 Many bulls(AA) surround me;(AB)
strong bulls of Bashan(AC) encircle me.
13 Roaring lions(AD) that tear their prey(AE)
open their mouths wide(AF) against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.(AG)
My heart has turned to wax;(AH)
it has melted(AI) within me.
15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd,(AJ)
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;(AK)
you lay me in the dust(AL) of death.
16 Dogs(AM) surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce[e](AN) my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare(AO) and gloat over me.(AP)
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots(AQ) for my garment.(AR)
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.(AS)
You are my strength;(AT) come quickly(AU) to help me.(AV)
20 Deliver me from the sword,(AW)
my precious life(AX) from the power of the dogs.(AY)
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;(AZ)
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.(BA)
22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly(BB) I will praise you.(BC)
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!(BD)
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!(BE)
Revere him,(BF) all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised(BG) or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;(BH)
he has not hidden his face(BI) from him
but has listened to his cry for help.(BJ)
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;(BK)
before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows.(BL)
26 The poor will eat(BM) and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—(BN)
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth(BO)
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,(BP)
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord(BQ)
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich(BR) of the earth will feast and worship;(BS)
all who go down to the dust(BT) will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.(BU)
30 Posterity(BV) will serve him;
future generations(BW) will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,(BX)
declaring to a people yet unborn:(BY)
He has done it!(BZ)
Footnotes
- Psalm 22:1 In Hebrew texts 22:1-31 is numbered 22:2-32.
- Psalm 22:2 Or night, and am not silent
- Psalm 22:3 Or Yet you are holy, / enthroned on the praises of Israel
- Psalm 22:15 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text strength
- Psalm 22:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text me, / like a lion
- Psalm 22:25 Hebrew him
Ecclesiastes 1
Good News Translation
Ecclesiastes 1
Good News Translation
Life Is Useless
1 These are the words of the Philosopher, David's son, who was king in Jerusalem.
2 It is useless, useless, said the Philosopher. Life is useless, all useless. 3 You spend your life working, laboring, and what do you have to show for it? 4 (A)Generations come and generations go, but the world stays just the same. 5 The sun still rises, and it still goes down, going wearily back to where it must start all over again. 6 The wind blows south, the wind blows north—round and round and back again. 7 Every river flows into the sea, but the sea is not yet full. The water returns to where the rivers began, and starts all over again. 8 Everything leads to weariness—a weariness too great for words. Our eyes can never see enough to be satisfied; our ears can never hear enough. 9 What has happened before will happen again. What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new in the whole world. 10 “Look,” they say, “here is something new!” But no, it has all happened before, long before we were born. 11 No one remembers what has happened in the past, and no one in days to come will remember what happens between now and then.
The Philosopher's Experience
12 I, the Philosopher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I determined that I would examine and study all the things that are done in this world.
God has laid a miserable fate upon us. 14 I have seen everything done in this world, and I tell you, it is all useless. It is like chasing the wind. 15 You can't straighten out what is crooked; you can't count things that aren't there.
16 (B)I told myself, “I have become a great man, far wiser than anyone who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are.” 17 I was determined to learn the difference between knowledge and foolishness, wisdom and madness. But I found out that I might as well be chasing the wind. 18 The wiser you are, the more worries you have; the more you know, the more it hurts.
Ecclesiastes 1
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 1
New International Version
Everything Is Meaningless
1 The words of the Teacher,[a](A) son of David, king in Jerusalem:(B)
2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”(C)
3 What do people gain from all their labors
at which they toil under the sun?(D)
4 Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.(E)
5 The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.(F)
6 The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
7 All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.(G)
8 All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,(H)
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;(I)
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
11 No one remembers the former generations,(J)
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them.(K)
Wisdom Is Meaningless
12 I, the Teacher,(L) was king over Israel in Jerusalem.(M) 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.(N) What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!(O) 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(P)
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;(Q)
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me;(R) I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom,(S) and also of madness and folly,(T) but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:1 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 2 and 12
1 Timothy 3
Good News Translation
1 Timothy 3
Good News Translation
Leaders in the Church
3 This is a true saying: If a man is eager to be a church leader, he desires an excellent work. 2 (A)A church leader must be without fault; he must have only one wife,[a] be sober, self-controlled, and orderly; he must welcome strangers in his home; he must be able to teach; 3 he must not be a drunkard or a violent man, but gentle and peaceful; he must not love money; 4 he must be able to manage his own family well and make his children obey him with all respect. 5 For if a man does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of the church of God? 6 He must be mature in the faith, so that he will not swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil was. 7 He should be a man who is respected by the people outside the church, so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the Devil's trap.
Helpers in the Church
8 Church helpers must also have a good character and be sincere; they must not drink too much wine or be greedy for money; 9 they should hold to the revealed truth of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They should be tested first, and then, if they pass the test, they are to serve. 11 Their wives[b] also must be of good character and must not gossip; they must be sober and honest in everything. 12 A church helper must have only one wife,[c] and be able to manage his children and family well. 13 Those helpers who do their work well win for themselves a good standing and are able to speak boldly about their faith in Christ Jesus.
The Great Secret
14 As I write this letter to you, I hope to come and see you soon. 15 But if I delay, this letter will let you know how we should conduct ourselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 16 No one can deny how great is the secret of our religion:
He appeared in human form,
was shown to be right by the Spirit,[d]
and was seen by angels.
He was preached among the nations,
was believed in throughout the world,
and was taken up to heaven.
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 3:2 have only one wife; or be married only once.
- 1 Timothy 3:11 Their wives; or Women helpers.
- 1 Timothy 3:12 have only one wife; or be married only once.
- 1 Timothy 3:16 was shown to be right by the Spirit; or and, in spiritual form, was shown to be right.
1 Timothy 3
New International Version
1 Timothy 3
New International Version
Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons
3 Here is a trustworthy saying:(A) Whoever aspires to be an overseer(B) desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach,(C) faithful to his wife,(D) temperate,(E) self-controlled, respectable, hospitable,(F) able to teach,(G) 3 not given to drunkenness,(H) not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome,(I) not a lover of money.(J) 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect.(K) 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)(L) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited(M) and fall under the same judgment(N) as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders,(O) so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.(P)
8 In the same way, deacons[b](Q) are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine,(R) and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.(S) 10 They must first be tested;(T) and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, the women[c] are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers(U) but temperate(V) and trustworthy in everything.
12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife(W) and must manage his children and his household well.(X) 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
Reasons for Paul’s Instructions
14 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, 15 if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church(Y) of the living God,(Z) the pillar and foundation of the truth. 16 Beyond all question, the mystery(AA) from which true godliness(AB) springs is great:
Footnotes
- 1 Timothy 3:4 Or him with proper
- 1 Timothy 3:8 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in verse 12; and in Romans 16:1 and Phil. 1:1.
- 1 Timothy 3:11 Possibly deacons’ wives or women who are deacons
- 1 Timothy 3:16 Or vindicated in spirit
Good News Translation (GNT) 
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