6 ^[a]The Lord said to Moses: ² “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord^(A) by deceiving a neighbor^(B) about something entrusted to them or left in their care^(C) or about something stolen, or if they cheat^(D) their neighbor, ³ or if they find lost property and lie about it,^(E) or if they swear falsely^(F) about any such sin that people may commit— ⁴ when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return^(G) what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, ⁵ or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution^(H) in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.^{(I) 6} And as a penalty they must bring to the priest, that is, to the Lord, their guilt offering,^(J) a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value.^{(K) 7} In this way the priest will make atonement^(L) for them before the Lord, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.”

The Burnt Offering

⁸ The Lord said to Moses: ⁹ “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering^(M): The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.^{(N) 10} The priest shall then put on his linen clothes,^(O) with linen undergarments next to his body,^(P) and shall remove the ashes^(Q) of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. ¹¹ Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean.^{(R) 12} The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood^(S) and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat^(T) of the fellowship offerings^(U) on it. ¹³ The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

The Grain Offering

¹⁴ “‘These are the regulations for the grain offering:^(V) Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar. ¹⁵ The priest is to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense^(W) on the grain offering,^(X) and burn the memorial^[b] portion^(Y) on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. ¹⁶ Aaron and his sons^(Z) shall eat the rest^(AA) of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast^(AB) in the sanctuary area;^(AC) they are to eat it in the courtyard^(AD) of the tent of meeting.^{(AE) 17} It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share^(AF) of the food offerings presented to me.^(AG) Like the sin offering^[c] and the guilt offering, it is most holy.^{(AH) 18} Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it.^(AI) For all generations to come^(AJ) it is his perpetual share^(AK) of the food offerings presented to the Lord. Whatever touches them will become holy.^[d](AL)’”

¹⁹ The Lord also said to Moses, ²⁰ “This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to bring to the Lord on the day he^[e] is anointed:^(AM) a tenth of an ephah^[f](AN) of the finest flour^(AO) as a regular grain offering,^(AP) half of it in the morning and half in the evening. ²¹ It must be prepared with oil on a griddle;^(AQ) bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken^[g] in pieces as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. ²² The son who is to succeed him as anointed priest^(AR) shall prepare it. It is the Lord’s perpetual share and is to be burned completely.^{(AS) 23} Every grain offering of a priest shall be burned completely; it must not be eaten.”

The Sin Offering

²⁴ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁵ “Say to Aaron and his sons: ‘These are the regulations for the sin offering:^(AT) The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the Lord^(AU) in the place^(AV) the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is most holy. ²⁶ The priest who offers it shall eat it; it is to be eaten in the sanctuary area,^(AW) in the courtyard^(AX) of the tent of meeting.^{(AY) 27} Whatever touches any of the flesh will become holy,^(AZ) and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in the sanctuary area. ²⁸ The clay pot^(BA) the meat is cooked in must be broken; but if it is cooked in a bronze pot, the pot is to be scoured and rinsed with water. ²⁹ Any male in a priest’s family may eat it;^(BB) it is most holy.^{(BC) 30} But any sin offering whose blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement^(BD) in the Holy Place^(BE) must not be eaten; it must be burned up.^(BF)

Concerning Married Life

7 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”^{(A) 2} But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. ³ The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,^(B) and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. ⁵ Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time,^(C) so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan^(D) will not tempt you^(E) because of your lack of self-control. ⁶ I say this as a concession, not as a command.^{(F) 7} I wish that all of you were as I am.^(G) But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.^(H)

⁸ Now to the unmarried^[a] and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.^{(I) 9} But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,^(J) for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

¹⁰ To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.^{(K) 11} But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.^(L) And a husband must not divorce his wife.

¹² To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord):^(M) If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.^(N)

¹⁵ But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.^{(O) 16} How do you know, wife, whether you will save^(P) your husband?^(Q) Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Concerning Change of Status

¹⁷ Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.^(R) This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.^{(S) 18} Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.^{(T) 19} Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.^(U) Keeping God’s commands is what counts. ²⁰ Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(V)

²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. ²² For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person;^(W) similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave.^{(X) 23} You were bought at a price;^(Y) do not become slaves of human beings. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.^(Z)

Concerning the Unmarried

²⁵ Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord,^(AA) but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy^(AB) is trustworthy. ²⁶ Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.^{(AC) 27} Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.^{(AD) 28} But if you do marry, you have not sinned;^(AE) and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

²⁹ What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.^(AF) From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; ³⁰ those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; ³¹ those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.^(AG)

³² I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs^(AH)—how he can please the Lord. ³³ But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— ³⁴ and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.^(AI) But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. ³⁵ I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided^(AJ) devotion to the Lord.

³⁶ If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong^[b] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning.^(AK) They should get married. ³⁷ But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. ³⁸ So then, he who marries the virgin does right,^(AL) but he who does not marry her does better.^[c]

³⁹ A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives.^(AM) But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.^{(AN) 40} In my judgment,^(AO) she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Psalm 96^(A)