Laws of Holiness and Justice

19 The Lord told Moses ^2 (A)to say to the community of Israel, “Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy. ^3 (B)Each of you must respect your mother and your father, and must keep the Sabbath, as I have commanded. I am the Lord your God.

^4 (C)“Do not abandon me and worship idols; do not make gods of metal and worship them. I am the Lord your God.

⁵ “When you kill an animal for a fellowship offering, keep the regulations that I have given you, and I will accept the offering. ⁶ The meat must be eaten on the day the animal is killed or on the next day. Any meat left on the third day must be burned, ⁷ because it is ritually unclean, and if anyone eats it, I will not accept the offering. ⁸ Any who eat it will be guilty of treating as ordinary what is dedicated to me, and they will no longer be considered my people.

^9 (D)“When you harvest your fields, do not cut the grain at the edges of the fields, and do not go back to cut the heads of grain that were left. ¹⁰ Do not go back through your vineyard to gather the grapes that were missed or to pick up the grapes that have fallen; leave them for poor people and foreigners. I am the Lord your God.

^11 (E)“Do not steal or cheat or lie. ^12 (F)Do not make a promise in my name if you do not intend to keep it; that brings disgrace on my name. I am the Lord your God.

^13 (G)“Do not rob or take advantage of anyone. Do not hold back the wages of someone you have hired, not even for one night. ^14 (H)Do not curse the deaf or put something in front of the blind so as to make them stumble over it. Obey me; I am the Lord your God.

^15 (I)“Be honest and just when you make decisions in legal cases; do not show favoritism to the poor or fear the rich. ¹⁶ Do not spread lies about anyone, and when someone is on trial for his life, speak out if your testimony can help him. I am the Lord.

^17 (J)“Do not bear a grudge against others, but settle your differences with them, so that you will not commit a sin because of them.^{[a] 18 (K)}Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbors as you love yourself. I am the Lord.