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13 And He went up on the hillside and called to Him [[a]for Himself] those whom He wanted and chose, and they came to Him.

14 And He appointed twelve to [b]continue to be with Him, and that He might send them out to preach [as apostles or special messengers]

15 And to have authority and power to heal the sick and to drive out demons:

16 [They were] Simon, and He surnamed [him] Peter;

17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, and He surnamed them Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder;

18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew (Nathaniel), and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus (Judas, not Iscariot), and Simon the Cananaean [also called Zelotes],

19 And Judas Iscariot, he who betrayed Him.

20 Then He went to a house [probably Peter’s], but a throng came together again, so that Jesus and His disciples could not even take food.

21 And when those [c]who belonged to Him ([d]His kinsmen) heard it, they went out to take Him by force, for they kept saying, He is out of [e]His mind (beside Himself, deranged)!

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, He is possessed by Beelzebub, and, By [the help of] the prince of demons He is casting out demons.

23 And He summoned them to Him and said to them in parables (illustrations or comparisons put beside truths to explain them), How can Satan drive out Satan?

24 And if a kingdom is divided and rebelling against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 And if a house is divided (split into factions and rebelling) against itself, that house will not be able to last.

26 And if Satan has raised an insurrection against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is [surely] coming to an end.

27 But no one can go into a strong man’s house and ransack his household goods right and left and seize them as plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may [thoroughly] plunder his house.(A)

28 Truly and solemnly I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever abusive and blasphemous things they utter;

29 But whoever speaks abusively against or maliciously misrepresents the Holy Spirit can never get forgiveness, but is guilty of and is in the grasp of [f]an everlasting trespass.

30 For they [g]persisted in saying, [h]He has an unclean spirit.

31 Then His mother and His brothers came and, standing outside, they sent word to Him, calling [for] Him.

32 And a crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, Your mother and Your brothers and Your sisters are outside asking for You.

33 And He replied, Who are My mother and My brothers?

34 And looking around on those who sat in a circle about Him, He said, See! Here are My mother and My brothers;

35 For whoever does the things God wills is My brother and sister and mother!

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 3:13 Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies.
  2. Mark 3:14 Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies.
  3. Mark 3:21 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
  4. Mark 3:21 John Wycliffe, The Wycliffe Bible.
  5. Mark 3:21 Capitalized for what He is, the spotless Son of God, not what the speakers may have thought He was.
  6. Mark 3:29 John Wycliffe, The Wycliffe Bible.
  7. Mark 3:30 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  8. Mark 3:30 Capitalized for what He is, the spotless Son of God, not what the speakers may have thought He was.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve(A)

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.(B) 14 He appointed twelve[a](C) that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.(D) 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),(E) 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law(F)(G)

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered,(H) so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.(I) 21 When his family[b] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”(J)

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem(K) said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul!(L) By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”(M)

23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables:(N) “How can Satan(O) drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house.(P) 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”(Q)

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”

31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived.(R) Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”

33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 3:14 Some manuscripts twelve—designating them apostles—
  2. Mark 3:21 Or his associates

13 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

When a man has a swelling on his skin, a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes the disease of [a]leprosy in his skin, then he shall be brought to the priest, to Aaron or one of his sons.

The priest shall look at the diseased spot on his skin, and if the hair in it has turned white and the disease appears depressed and deeper than his skin, it is a leprous disease; and the priest shall examine him, and pronounce him unclean.

If the bright spot is white on his skin, not depressed, and the hair on it not turned white, the priest shall quarantine the person or bind up the spot for seven days.

And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if the disease in his estimation is at a standstill and has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall quarantine the person or bind up the spot seven more days.

And the priest shall examine him again the seventh day, and if the diseased part has a more normal color and the disease has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only an eruption or a scab; and he shall wash his clothes and be clean.

But if the eruption or scab spreads farther in the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen by the priest again.

If the priest sees that the eruption or scab is spreading in the skin, then he shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy.

When the disease of leprosy is in a man, he shall be brought to the priest;

10 And the priest shall examine him, and if there is a white swelling in the skin and the hair on it has turned white and there is quick raw flesh in the swelling,

11 It is a chronic leprosy in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not bind the spot up, for he is unclean.

12 But if [supposed] leprosy breaks out in the skin, and it covers all the skin of him who has the disease from head to foot, wherever the priest looks,

13 The priest shall examine him; if the [supposed] leprosy covers all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; it is all turned white, and he is clean.

14 But when the raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean.

15 And the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean; for the raw flesh is unclean; it is leprosy.

16 But if the raw flesh turns again and becomes white, he shall come to the priest,

17 And the priest shall examine him, and if the diseased part is turned to white again, then the priest shall pronounce him clean who had the disease; he is clean.

18 And when there is in the skin of the body [the scar of] a boil that is healed,

19 And in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a bright spot, reddish white, and it is shown to the priest,

20 And if when the priest examines it it looks lower than the skin and the hair on it is turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the disease of leprosy; it has broken out in the boil.

21 But if the priest examines it and finds no white hair in it and it is not lower than the skin but appears darker, then the priest shall bind it up for seven days.

22 If it spreads in the skin, [he] shall pronounce him unclean; it is diseased.

23 But if the bright spot does not spread, it is the scar of the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

24 Or if there is any flesh in the skin of which there is a burn by fire and the quick flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish white or white,

25 Then the priest shall examine it, and if the hair in the bright spot is turned white, and it appears deeper than the skin, it is leprosy broken out in the burn. Therefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the disease of leprosy.

26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the bright spot and it is not lower than the rest of the skin but is darker, then the priest shall bind it up for seven days.

27 And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day; if it is spreading in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy.

28 But if the bright spot has not spread but is darker, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is the scar of the burn.

29 When a man or woman has a disease upon the head or in the beard,

30 The priest shall examine the diseased place; if it appears to be deeper than the skin, with yellow, thin hair in it, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a mangelike leprosy of the head or beard.

31 If the priest examines the spot infected by the mangelike disease, and it does not appear deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, the priest shall bind up the spot for seven days.

32 On the seventh day the priest shall examine the diseased spot; if the mange has not spread and has no yellow hair in it and does not look deeper than the skin,

33 Then the patient shall be shaved, except the mangelike spot; and the priest shall bind up the spot seven days more.

34 On the seventh day the priest shall look at the mangelike spot; if the mange has not spread and looks no deeper than the skin, he shall pronounce the patient clean; he shall wash his clothes and be clean.

35 But if the mangelike spot spreads in the skin after his cleansing,

36 Then the priest shall examine him, and if the mangelike spot is spread in the skin, the priest need not look for the yellow hair; the patient is unclean.

37 But if in his estimation the mange is at a standstill and has black hair in it, the mangelike disease is healed; he is clean; the priest shall pronounce him clean.

38 When a man or a woman has on the skin bright spots, even white bright spots,

39 Then the priest shall look, and if the bright spots in the skin are a dull white, it is a harmless eruption; he is clean.

40 If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald, but he is clean.

41 And if his hair has fallen out from the front of his head, he has baldness of the forehead, but he is clean.

42 But if there is on the bald head or forehead a reddish white diseased spot, it is leprosy breaking out on his baldness.

43 Then the priest shall examine him, and if the diseased swelling is reddish white on his bald head or forehead like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the body,

44 He is a leprous man; he is unclean; the priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his disease is on his head.

45 And the leper’s clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry, Unclean, unclean!

46 He shall remain unclean as long as the disease is in him; he is unclean; he shall live alone [and] his dwelling shall be outside the camp.

47 The garment also that the disease of leprosy [symbolic of sin] is in, whether a wool or a linen garment,(A)

48 Whether it be in woven or knitted stuff or in the warp or woof of linen or of wool, or in a skin or anything made of skin,

49 If the disease is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in a skin or in the warp or woof or in anything made of skin, it is the plague of leprosy; show it to the priest.

50 The priest shall examine the diseased article and shut it up for seven days.

51 He shall examine the disease on the seventh day; if [it] is spread in the garment, or in the article, whatever service it may be used for, the disease is a rotting or corroding leprosy; it is unclean.

52 He shall burn the garment, whether diseased in warp or woof, in wool or linen, or anything made of skin; for it is a rotting or corroding leprosy, to be burned in the fire.

53 But if the priest finds the disease has not spread in the garment, in the warp or the woof, or in anything made of skin,

54 Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing in which the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more.

55 And the priest shall examine the diseased article after it has been washed, and if the diseased portion has not changed color, though the disease has not spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire; it is a rotting or corroding [disease], whether the leprous spot be inside or outside.

56 If the priest looks and the diseased portion is less noticeable after it is washed, he shall tear it out of the garment, or the skin (leather), or out of the warp or woof.

57 If it appears still in the garment, either in the warp or in the woof, or in anything made of skin, it is spreading; you shall burn the diseased part with fire.

58 But the garment, or the woven or knitted stuff or warp or woof, or anything made of skin from which the disease departs when you have washed it, shall then be washed a second time, and be clean.

59 This is the law for a leprous disease in a garment of wool or linen, either in the warp or woof, or in anything made of skin, to pronounce it clean or unclean.

14 And the Lord said to Moses,

This shall be the law of the leper on the day when he is to be pronounced clean: he shall be brought to the priest [at a meeting place outside the camp];

The priest shall go out of the camp [to meet him]; and [he] shall examine him, and if the disease is healed in the leper,

Then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds and cedar wood and scarlet [material] and hyssop.(B)

And the priest shall command to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over fresh, running water.

As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood, and the scarlet [material], and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird killed over the running water;

And he shall sprinkle [the blood] on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let go the living bird into the open field.(C)

He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but stay outside his tent seven days.

But on the seventh day he shall shave all his hair off his head, his beard, his eyebrows, and his [body]; and he shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and be clean.

10 On the eighth day he shall take two he-lambs without blemish and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a cereal offering, mixed with oil, and one log of oil.

11 And the priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed and these things before the Lord at the door of the Tent of Meeting;

12 The priest shall take one of the male lambs and offer it for a guilt or trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.

13 He shall kill the lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the sacred place [the court of the tabernacle]; for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the guilt or trespass offering; it is most holy;

14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt or trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot.

15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand;

16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord;

17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put some on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt or trespass offering [which he has previously placed in each of these places].

18 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour upon the head of him who is to be cleansed and make atonement for him before the Lord.

19 And the priest shall offer the sin offering and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness, and afterward kill the burnt offering [victim].

20 And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the cereal offering on the altar; and he shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

21 If the cleansed leper is poor and cannot afford so much, he shall take one lamb for a guilt or trespass offering to be waved to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a cereal offering, and a log of oil,

22 And two turtledoves or two young pigeons, such as he can afford, one for a sin offering, the other for a burnt offering.

23 He shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting, before the Lord.

24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the guilt or trespass offering, and the log of oil, and shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord.

25 And he shall kill the lamb of the guilt or trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot.

26 And the priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand,

27 And shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the Lord.

28 The priest shall put some of the oil in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot, on the places where he has put the blood of the guilt offering.

29 The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before the Lord.

30 And he shall offer one of the turtledoves or of the young pigeons, such as he is able to get,

31 As he can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, together with the cereal offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before the Lord.

32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to get what is required for his cleansing.

33 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

34 When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the disease of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession,

35 Then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, It seems to me there is some sort of disease in my house.

36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house before [he] goes in to examine the disease, so that all that is in the house may not be declared unclean; afterward [he] shall go in to see the house.

37 He shall examine the disease, and if it is in the walls of the house with depressed spots of dark green or dark red appearing beneath [the surface of] the wall,

38 Then the priest shall go out of the door and shut up the house seven days.

39 The priest shall come again on the seventh day and shall look; and if the disease has spread in the walls of the house,

40 He shall command that they take out the diseased stones and cast them into an unclean place outside the city.

41 He shall cause the house to be scraped within round about and the plaster or mortar that is scraped off to be emptied out in an unclean place outside the city.

42 And they shall put other stones in the place of those stones, and he shall plaster the house with fresh mortar.

43 If the disease returns, breaking out in the house after he has removed the stones and has scraped and plastered the house,

44 Then the priest shall come and look, and if the disease is spreading in the house, it is a rotting or corroding leprosy in the house; it is unclean.

45 He shall tear down the house—its stones and its timber and all the plaster or mortar of the house—and shall carry them forth out of the city to an unclean place.

46 Moreover, he who enters the house during the whole time that it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening.

47 And he who lies down or eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

48 But if the priest inspects it and the disease has not spread after the house was plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean, because the disease is healed.

49 He shall take to cleanse the house two birds, cedar wood, scarlet [material], and hyssop;

50 And he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water,

51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet [material], and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.

52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, the running water, the living bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet [material].

53 But he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field; so he shall make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.

54 This is the law for all kinds of leprous diseases, and mangelike conditions,

55 For the leprosy of a garment or of a house,

56 And for a swelling or an eruption or a scab or a bright spot,

57 To teach when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the law of leprosy.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 13:2 Authorities are generally agreed that there certainly was true leprosy as it is known today in the Near East in New Testament times. But from the details of the disease in Lev. 13, it is believed that other very serious skin disorders were also included under the heading of “leprosy” in earlier times. Leprosy in the Old Testament, therefore, is not to be considered as confined to the traits by which it is known today, but rather defined by the symptoms, the treatment, and the history of individual cases as recorded in Leviticus and elsewhere. That it was worse than death is implied by the words of Aaron when his sister Miriam was stricken with it: “Alas, my lord [Moses],. .. Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb” (Num. 12:11, 12 kjv).

Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases

13 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When anyone has a swelling(A) or a rash or a shiny spot(B) on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease,[a](C) they must be brought to Aaron the priest(D) or to one of his sons[b] who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.(E) If the shiny spot(F) on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(G) On the seventh day(H) the priest is to examine them,(I) and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine them again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them clean;(J) it is only a rash. They must wash their clothes,(K) and they will be clean.(L) But if the rash does spread in their skin after they have shown themselves to the priest to be pronounced clean, they must appear before the priest again.(M) The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.

“When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. 10 The priest is to examine them, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic skin disease(N) and the priest shall pronounce them unclean. He is not to isolate them, because they are already unclean.

12 “If the disease breaks out all over their skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot, 13 the priest is to examine them, and if the disease has covered their whole body, he shall pronounce them clean. Since it has all turned white, they are clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on them, they will be unclean. 15 When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce them unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; they have a defiling disease.(O) 16 If the raw flesh changes and turns white, they must go to the priest. 17 The priest is to examine them, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the affected person clean;(P) then they will be clean.

18 “When someone has a boil(Q) on their skin and it heals, 19 and in the place where the boil was, a white swelling or reddish-white(R) spot(S) appears, they must present themselves to the priest. 20 The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean. It is a defiling skin disease(T) that has broken out where the boil was. 21 But if, when the priest examines it, there is no white hair in it and it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days. 22 If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling disease. 23 But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.(U)

24 “When someone has a burn on their skin and a reddish-white or white spot appears in the raw flesh of the burn, 25 the priest is to examine the spot, and if the hair in it has turned white, and it appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.(V) 26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and if it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days.(W) 27 On the seventh day the priest is to examine that person,(X) and if it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease. 28 If, however, the spot is unchanged and has not spread in the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce them clean; it is only a scar from the burn.(Y)

29 “If a man or woman has a sore on their head(Z) or chin, 30 the priest is to examine the sore, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease on the head or chin. 31 But if, when the priest examines the sore, it does not seem to be more than skin deep and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(AA) 32 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AB) and if it has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be more than skin deep, 33 then the man or woman must shave themselves, except for the affected area, and the priest is to keep them isolated another seven days. 34 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(AC) and if it has not spread in the skin and appears to be no more than skin deep, the priest shall pronounce them clean. They must wash their clothes, and they will be clean.(AD) 35 But if the sore does spread in the skin after they are pronounced clean, 36 the priest is to examine them, and if he finds that the sore has spread in the skin, he does not need to look for yellow hair; they are unclean.(AE) 37 If, however, the sore is unchanged so far as the priest can see, and if black hair has grown in it, the affected person is healed. They are clean, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.

38 “When a man or woman has white spots on the skin, 39 the priest is to examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; they are clean.

40 “A man who has lost his hair and is bald(AF) is clean. 41 If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. 42 But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead. 43 The priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like a defiling skin disease, 44 the man is diseased and is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean because of the sore on his head.

45 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes,(AG) let their hair be unkempt,[c] cover the lower part of their face(AH) and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’(AI) 46 As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.(AJ)

Regulations About Defiling Molds

47 “As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, 48 any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather— 49 if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest.(AK) 50 The priest is to examine the affected area(AL) and isolate the article for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he is to examine it,(AM) and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean.(AN) 52 He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.(AO)

53 “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, 54 he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. 55 After the article has been washed, the priest is to examine it again, and if the mold has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it, no matter which side of the fabric has been spoiled. 56 If, when the priest examines it, the mold has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the spoiled part out of the fabric, the leather, or the woven or knitted material. 57 But if it reappears in the fabric, in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is a spreading mold; whatever has the mold must be burned. 58 Any fabric, woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mold, must be washed again. Then it will be clean.”

59 These are the regulations concerning defiling molds in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.

Cleansing From Defiling Skin Diseases

14 The Lord said to Moses, “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest:(AP) The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them.(AQ) If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,[d](AR) the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop(AS) be brought for the person to be cleansed.(AT) Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot.(AU) He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.(AV) Seven times(AW) he shall sprinkle(AX) the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields.(AY)

“The person to be cleansed must wash their clothes,(AZ) shave off all their hair and bathe with water;(BA) then they will be ceremonially clean.(BB) After this they may come into the camp,(BC) but they must stay outside their tent for seven days. On the seventh day(BD) they must shave off all their hair;(BE) they must shave their head, their beard, their eyebrows and the rest of their hair. They must wash their clothes and bathe themselves with water, and they will be clean.(BF)

10 “On the eighth day(BG) they must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb(BH) a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah[e](BI) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering,(BJ) and one log[f] of oil.(BK) 11 The priest who pronounces them clean shall present(BL) both the one to be cleansed and their offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(BM)

12 “Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering,(BN) along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.(BO) 13 He is to slaughter the lamb in the sanctuary area(BP) where the sin offering[g] and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest;(BQ) it is most holy. 14 The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.(BR) 15 The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand,(BS) 16 dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the Lord seven times.(BT) 17 The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering.(BU) 18 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed(BV) and make atonement for them before the Lord.

19 “Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from their uncleanness.(BW) After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering 20 and offer it on the altar, together with the grain offering, and make atonement for them,(BX) and they will be clean.(BY)

21 “If, however, they are poor(BZ) and cannot afford these,(CA) they must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for them, together with a tenth of an ephah[h] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, 22 and two doves or two young pigeons,(CB) such as they can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.(CC)

23 “On the eighth day they must bring them for their cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting,(CD) before the Lord.(CE) 24 The priest is to take the lamb for the guilt offering,(CF) together with the log of oil,(CG) and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.(CH) 25 He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.(CI) 26 The priest is to pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand,(CJ) 27 and with his right forefinger sprinkle some of the oil from his palm seven times before the Lord. 28 Some of the oil in his palm he is to put on the same places he put the blood of the guilt offering—on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. 29 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for them before the Lord.(CK) 30 Then he shall sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons, such as the person can afford,(CL) 31 one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering,(CM) together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed.(CN)

32 These are the regulations for anyone who has a defiling skin disease(CO) and who cannot afford the regular offerings(CP) for their cleansing.

Cleansing From Defiling Molds

33 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 34 “When you enter the land of Canaan,(CQ) which I am giving you as your possession,(CR) and I put a spreading mold in a house in that land, 35 the owner of the house must go and tell the priest, ‘I have seen something that looks like a defiling mold in my house.’ 36 The priest is to order the house to be emptied before he goes in to examine the mold, so that nothing in the house will be pronounced unclean. After this the priest is to go in and inspect the house. 37 He is to examine the mold on the walls, and if it has greenish or reddish(CS) depressions that appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall, 38 the priest shall go out the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days.(CT) 39 On the seventh day(CU) the priest shall return to inspect the house. If the mold has spread on the walls, 40 he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town.(CV) 41 He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town. 42 Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house.

43 “If the defiling mold reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house scraped and plastered, 44 the priest is to go and examine it and, if the mold has spread in the house, it is a persistent defiling mold; the house is unclean.(CW) 45 It must be torn down—its stones, timbers and all the plaster—and taken out of the town to an unclean place.

46 “Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean till evening.(CX) 47 Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house must wash their clothes.(CY)

48 “But if the priest comes to examine it and the mold has not spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean,(CZ) because the defiling mold is gone. 49 To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop.(DA) 50 He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot.(DB) 51 Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop,(DC) the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.(DD) 52 He shall purify the house with the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. 53 Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields(DE) outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.(DF)

54 These are the regulations for any defiling skin disease,(DG) for a sore, 55 for defiling molds(DH) in fabric or in a house, 56 and for a swelling, a rash or a shiny spot,(DI) 57 to determine when something is clean or unclean.

These are the regulations for defiling skin diseases and defiling molds.(DJ)

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 13:2 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; here and throughout verses 3-46.
  2. Leviticus 13:2 Or descendants
  3. Leviticus 13:45 Or clothes, uncover their head
  4. Leviticus 14:3 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 7, 32, 54 and 57.
  5. Leviticus 14:10 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
  6. Leviticus 14:10 That is, about 1/3 quart or about 0.3 liter; also in verses 12, 15, 21 and 24
  7. Leviticus 14:13 Or purification offering; also in verses 19, 22 and 31
  8. Leviticus 14:21 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms