Font Size
Leviticus 24:1-25:46
Living Bible
Leviticus 24:1-25:46
Living Bible
24 1-2 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring you pure olive oil for an eternal flame 3-4 in the lampstand of pure gold which stands outside the veil that secludes the Holy of Holies. Each morning and evening Aaron shall supply it with fresh oil and trim the wicks. It will be an eternal flame before the Lord from generation to generation.
5-8 “Every Sabbath day the High Priest shall place twelve loaves of bread in two rows upon the gold table that stands before the Lord. These loaves shall be baked from finely ground flour, using a fifth of a bushel for each. Pure frankincense shall be sprinkled along each row. This will be a memorial offering made by fire to the Lord, in memory of his everlasting covenant with the people of Israel. 9 The bread shall be eaten by Aaron and his sons, in a place set apart for the purpose. For these are offerings made by fire to the Lord under a permanent law of God and are most holy.”
10 Out in the camp one day, a young man whose mother was an Israelite and whose father was an Egyptian got into a fight with one of the men of Israel. 11 During the fight the Egyptian man’s son[a] cursed God, and was brought to Moses for judgment. (His mother’s name was Shelomith, daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan.) 12 He was put in jail until the Lord would indicate what to do with him.
13-14 And the Lord said to Moses, “Take him outside the camp and tell all who heard him to lay their hands upon his head; then all the people are to execute him by stoning. 15-16 And tell the people of Israel that anyone who curses his God must pay the penalty: he must die. All the congregation shall stone him; this law applies to the foreigner as well as to the Israelite who blasphemes the name of Jehovah. He must die.
17 “Also, all murderers must be executed. 18 Anyone who kills an animal that isn’t his[b] shall replace it. 19 The penalty for injuring anyone is to be injured in exactly the same way: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Whatever anyone does to another shall be done to him.
21 “To repeat, whoever kills an animal must replace it, and whoever kills a man must die. 22 You shall have the same law for the foreigner as for the home-born citizen, for I am Jehovah your God.”
23 So they took the youth out of the camp and stoned him until he died, as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
25 1-2 While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the Lord gave him these instructions for the people of Israel:
“When you come into the land I am going to give you, you must let the land rest before the Lord every seventh year. 3 For six years you may sow your field and prune your vineyards and harvest your crops, 4 but during the seventh year the land is to lie fallow before the Lord, uncultivated. Don’t sow your crops and don’t prune your vineyards during that entire year. 5 Don’t even reap for yourself the volunteer crops that come up, and don’t gather the grapes for yourself; for it is a year of rest for the land. 6-7 Any crops that do grow that year shall be free to all—for you, your servants, your slaves, and any foreigners living among you. Cattle and wild animals alike shall be allowed to graze there.
8 “Every fiftieth year, 9 on the Day of Atonement,[c] let the trumpets blow loud and long throughout the land. 10 For the fiftieth year shall be holy, a time to proclaim liberty throughout the land to all enslaved debtors, and a time for the canceling of all public and private debts. It shall be a year when all the family estates sold to others shall be returned to the original owners or their heirs.
11 “What a happy year it will be! In it you shall not sow, nor gather crops nor grapes; 12 for it is a holy Year of Jubilee for you. That year your food shall be the volunteer crops that grow wild in the fields. 13 Yes, during the Year of Jubilee everyone shall return home to his original family possession; if he has sold it, it shall be his again! 14-16 Because of this, if the land is sold or bought during the preceding forty-nine years, a fair price shall be arrived at by counting the number of years until the Jubilee. If the Jubilee is many years away, the price will be high; if few years, the price will be low; for what you are really doing is selling the number of crops the new owner will get from the land before it is returned to you.
17-18 “You must fear your God and not overcharge! For I am Jehovah. Obey my laws if you want to live safely in the land. 19 When you obey, the land will yield bumper crops and you can eat your fill in safety. 20 But you will ask, ‘What shall we eat the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?’ 21-22 The answer is, ‘I will bless you with bumper crops the sixth year that will last you until the crops of the eighth year are harvested!’ 23 And remember, the land is mine, so you may not sell it permanently. You are merely my tenants and sharecroppers!
24 “In every contract of sale there must be a stipulation that the land can be redeemed at any time by the seller. 25 If anyone becomes poor and sells some of his land, then his nearest relatives may redeem it. 26 If there is no one else to redeem it, and he himself gets together enough money, 27 then he may always buy it back at a price proportionate to the number of harvests until the Jubilee, and the owner must accept the money and return the land to him. 28 But if the original owner is not able to redeem it, then it shall belong to the new owner until the Year of Jubilee; but at the Jubilee year it must be returned again.
29 “If a man sells a house in the city,[d] he has up to one year to redeem it, with full right of redemption during that time. 30 But if it is not redeemed within the year, then it will belong permanently to the new owner—it does not return to the original owner in the Year of Jubilee. 31 But village houses—a village is a settlement without fortifying walls around it—are like farmland, redeemable at any time, and are always returned to the original owner in the Year of Jubilee.
32 “There is one exception: The homes of the Levites, even though in walled cities, may be redeemed at any time, 33 and must be returned to the original owners in the Year of Jubilee; for the Levites will not be given farmland like the other tribes, but will receive only houses in their cities, and the surrounding fields.[e] 34 The Levites are not permitted to sell the fields of common land surrounding their cities, for these are their permanent possession, and they must belong to no one else.
35 “If your brother becomes poor, you are responsible to help him; invite him to live with you as a guest in your home. 36 Fear your God and let your brother live with you; and don’t charge him interest on the money you lend him. 37 Remember—no interest; and give him what he needs, at your cost: don’t try to make a profit! 38 For I, the Lord your God, brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
39 “If a fellow Israelite becomes poor and sells himself to you, you must not treat him as an ordinary slave, 40 but rather as a hired servant or as a guest; and he shall serve you only until the Year of Jubilee. 41 At that time he can leave with his children and return to his own family and possessions. 42 For I brought you from the land of Egypt, and you are my servants; so you may not be sold as ordinary slaves 43 or treated harshly; fear your God.
44 “However, you may purchase slaves from the foreign nations living around you, 45 and you may purchase the children of the foreigners living among you, even though they have been born in your land. 46 They will be permanent slaves for you to pass on to your children after you; but your brothers, the people of Israel, shall not be treated so.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 24:11 the Egyptian man’s son, literally, “the Israelite woman’s son.” cursed God, literally, “blasphemed the Name.”
- Leviticus 24:18 that isn’t his, implied. shall replace it, literally, “shall make it good, life for life.”
- Leviticus 25:9 the Day of Atonement, literally, “the tenth day of the seventh month (of the Hebrew calendar).
- Leviticus 25:29 in the city, literally, “in a walled city.”
- Leviticus 25:33 and the surrounding fields, implied.
Leviticus 24:1-25:46
New International Version
Leviticus 24:1-25:46
New International Version
Olive Oil and Bread Set Before the Lord(A)
24 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning continually. 3 Outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, Aaron is to tend the lamps before the Lord from evening till morning, continually. This is to be a lasting ordinance(B) for the generations to come. 4 The lamps on the pure gold lampstand(C) before the Lord must be tended continually.
5 “Take the finest flour and bake twelve loaves of bread,(D) using two-tenths of an ephah[a](E) for each loaf. 6 Arrange them in two stacks, six in each stack, on the table of pure gold(F) before the Lord. 7 By each stack put some pure incense(G) as a memorial[b] portion(H) to represent the bread and to be a food offering presented to the Lord. 8 This bread is to be set out before the Lord regularly,(I) Sabbath after Sabbath,(J) on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant. 9 It belongs to Aaron and his sons,(K) who are to eat it in the sanctuary area,(L) because it is a most holy(M) part of their perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the Lord.”
A Blasphemer Put to Death
10 Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. 11 The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name(N) with a curse;(O) so they brought him to Moses.(P) (His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.)(Q) 12 They put him in custody until the will of the Lord should be made clear to them.(R)
13 Then the Lord said to Moses: 14 “Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him.(S) 15 Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God(T) will be held responsible;(U) 16 anyone who blasphemes(V) the name of the Lord is to be put to death.(W) The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.
17 “‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death.(X) 18 Anyone who takes the life of someone’s animal must make restitution(Y)—life for life. 19 Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.(Z) The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. 21 Whoever kills an animal must make restitution,(AA) but whoever kills a human being is to be put to death.(AB) 22 You are to have the same law for the foreigner(AC) and the native-born.(AD) I am the Lord your God.’”
23 Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him.(AE) The Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses.
The Sabbath Year
25 The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai,(AF) 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.(AG) 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest,(AH) a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.(AI) 5 Do not reap what grows of itself(AJ) or harvest the grapes(AK) of your untended vines.(AL) The land is to have a year of rest. 6 Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year(AM) will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, 7 as well as for your livestock and the wild animals(AN) in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.
The Year of Jubilee(AO)(AP)
8 “‘Count off seven sabbath years—seven times seven years—so that the seven sabbath years amount to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then have the trumpet(AQ) sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month;(AR) on the Day of Atonement(AS) sound the trumpet throughout your land. 10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty(AT) throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee(AU) for you; each of you is to return to your family property(AV) and to your own clan. 11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee(AW) for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.(AX) 12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.
13 “‘In this Year of Jubilee(AY) everyone is to return to their own property.
14 “‘If you sell land to any of your own people or buy land from them, do not take advantage of each other.(AZ) 15 You are to buy from your own people on the basis of the number of years(BA) since the Jubilee. And they are to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. 16 When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price,(BB) because what is really being sold to you is the number of crops. 17 Do not take advantage of each other,(BC) but fear your God.(BD) I am the Lord your God.(BE)
18 “‘Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws,(BF) and you will live safely in the land.(BG) 19 Then the land will yield its fruit,(BH) and you will eat your fill and live there in safety.(BI) 20 You may ask, “What will we eat in the seventh year(BJ) if we do not plant or harvest our crops?” 21 I will send you such a blessing(BK) in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years.(BL) 22 While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.(BM)
23 “‘The land(BN) must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine(BO) and you reside in my land as foreigners(BP) and strangers. 24 Throughout the land that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption(BQ) of the land.
25 “‘If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative(BR) is to come and redeem(BS) what they have sold. 26 If, however, there is no one to redeem it for them but later on they prosper(BT) and acquire sufficient means to redeem it themselves, 27 they are to determine the value for the years(BU) since they sold it and refund the balance to the one to whom they sold it; they can then go back to their own property.(BV) 28 But if they do not acquire the means to repay, what was sold will remain in the possession of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. It will be returned(BW) in the Jubilee, and they can then go back to their property.(BX)
29 “‘Anyone who sells a house in a walled city retains the right of redemption a full year after its sale. During that time the seller may redeem it. 30 If it is not redeemed before a full year has passed, the house in the walled city shall belong permanently to the buyer and the buyer’s descendants. It is not to be returned in the Jubilee. 31 But houses in villages without walls around them are to be considered as belonging to the open country. They can be redeemed, and they are to be returned in the Jubilee.
32 “‘The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns,(BY) which they possess. 33 So the property of the Levites is redeemable—that is, a house sold in any town they hold—and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. 34 But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.(BZ)
35 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor(CA) and are unable to support themselves among you, help them(CB) as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest(CC) or any profit from them, but fear your God,(CD) so that they may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend them money at interest(CE) or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan(CF) and to be your God.(CG)
39 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves.(CH) 40 They are to be treated as hired workers(CI) or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. 41 Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property(CJ) of their ancestors.(CK) 42 Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt,(CL) they must not be sold as slaves. 43 Do not rule over them ruthlessly,(CM) but fear your God.(CN)
44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 24:5 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms
- Leviticus 24:7 Or representative
Mark 10:13-31
Living Bible
Mark 10:13-31
Living Bible
13 Once when some mothers[a] were bringing their children to Jesus to bless them, the disciples shooed them away, telling them not to bother him.
14 But when Jesus saw what was happening he was very much displeased with his disciples and said to them, “Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they. Don’t send them away! 15 I tell you as seriously as I know how that anyone who refuses to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into his Kingdom.”
16 Then he took the children into his arms and placed his hands on their heads and he blessed them.
17 As he was starting out on a trip, a man came running to him and knelt down and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get to heaven?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good! 19 But as for your question—you know the commandments: don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat, respect your father and mother.”
20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve never once[b] broken a single one of those laws.”
21 Jesus felt genuine love for this man as he looked at him. “You lack only one thing,” he told him; “go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor—and you shall have treasure in heaven—and come, follow me.”
22 Then the man’s face fell, and he went sadly away, for he was very rich.
23 Jesus watched him go, then turned around and said to his disciples, “It’s almost impossible for the rich to get into the Kingdom of God!”
24 This amazed them. So Jesus said it again: “Dear children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches[c] to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were incredulous! “Then who in the world can be saved, if not a rich man?” they asked.
27 Jesus looked at them intently, then said, “Without God, it is utterly impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
28 Then Peter began to mention all that he and the other disciples had left behind. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.
29 And Jesus replied, “Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything—home, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or property—for love of me and to tell others the Good News, 30 who won’t be given back, a hundred times over, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—with persecutions!
“All these will be his here on earth, and in the world to come he shall have eternal life. 31 But many people who seem to be important now will be the least important then; and many who are considered least here shall be greatest there.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Mark 10:13 mothers, implied.
- Mark 10:20 never once, literally, “never from my youth.”
- Mark 10:24 for those who trust in riches. Some of the ancient manuscripts do not contain these words.
Mark 10:13-31
New International Version
Mark 10:13-31
New International Version
The Little Children and Jesus(A)
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.(B) 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”(C) 16 And he took the children in his arms,(D) placed his hands on them and blessed them.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God(E)
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees(F) before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”(G)
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a]”(H)
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor,(I) and you will have treasure in heaven.(J) Then come, follow me.”(K)
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich(L) to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God!(M) 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”(N)
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”(O)
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”(P)
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much(Q) in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come(R) eternal life.(S) 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”(T)
Footnotes
- Mark 10:19 Exodus 20:12-16; Deut. 5:16-20
- Mark 10:24 Some manuscripts is for those who trust in riches
Psalm 44:9-26
Living Bible
Psalm 44:9-26
Living Bible
9 And yet for a time, O Lord, you have tossed us aside in dishonor and have not helped us in our battles. 10 You have actually fought against us and defeated us before our foes. Our enemies have invaded our land and pillaged the countryside. 11 You have treated us like sheep in a slaughter pen and scattered us among the nations. 12 You sold us for a pittance. You valued us at nothing at all. 13 The neighboring nations mock and laugh at us because of all the evil you have sent. 14 You have made the word Jew a byword of contempt and shame among the nations, disliked by all. 15-16 I am constantly despised, mocked, taunted, and cursed by my vengeful enemies.
17 And all this has happened, Lord, despite our loyalty to you. We have not violated your covenant. 18 Our hearts have not deserted you! We have not left your path by a single step. 19 If we had, we could understand your punishing us in the barren wilderness and sending us into darkness and death. 20 If we had turned away from worshiping our God and were worshiping idols, 21 would God not know it? Yes, he knows the secrets of every heart. 22 But that is not our case. For we are facing death threats constantly because of serving you! We are like sheep awaiting slaughter.
23 Waken! Rouse yourself! Don’t sleep, O Lord! Are we cast off forever? 24 Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our sorrows and oppression? 25 We lie face downward in the dust. 26 Rise up, O Lord, and come and help us. Save us by your constant love.
Read full chapter
Psalm 44:9-26
New International Version
Psalm 44:9-26
New International Version
9 But now you have rejected(A) and humbled us;(B)
you no longer go out with our armies.(C)
10 You made us retreat(D) before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered(E) us.
11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep(F)
and have scattered us among the nations.(G)
12 You sold your people for a pittance,(H)
gaining nothing from their sale.
13 You have made us a reproach(I) to our neighbors,(J)
the scorn(K) and derision(L) of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword(M) among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads(N) at us.
15 I live in disgrace(O) all day long,
and my face is covered with shame(P)
16 at the taunts(Q) of those who reproach and revile(R) me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.(S)
17 All this came upon us,
though we had not forgotten(T) you;
we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned(U) back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed(V) us and made us a haunt for jackals;(W)
you covered us over with deep darkness.(X)
20 If we had forgotten(Y) the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,(Z)
21 would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?(AA)
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep(AB) to be slaughtered.(AC)
Proverbs 10:20-21
Living Bible
Proverbs 10:20-21
Living Bible
20 When a good man speaks, he is worth listening to, but the words of fools are a dime a dozen.
21 A godly man gives good advice, but a rebel is destroyed by lack of common sense.
Read full chapter
Proverbs 10:20-21
New International Version
Proverbs 10:20-21
New International Version
20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.
21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of sense.(A)
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.