Leviticus 22:1-16

New International Reader's Version

22 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Here is what I want you to tell Aaron and his sons. Tell them to treat the sacred offerings with respect. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. So Aaron and his sons must never treat my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord.

³ “Say to them, ‘Suppose a man in your family line is “unclean.” And suppose he comes near the sacred offerings. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. That man must not be allowed to serve me as a priest. That applies for all time to come. I am the Lord.

⁴ “ ‘Suppose a man in Aaron’s family line has a skin disease. Or suppose liquid waste is flowing out of his body. Then he can’t eat the sacred offerings until he is made pure and clean. Suppose he touches something made “unclean” by coming near a dead body. Or suppose he touches someone who has semen flowing from his body. Then he will be “unclean.” ⁵ Or suppose he touches any crawling thing that makes him “unclean.” Or suppose he touches any person who makes him “unclean.” It does not matter what “unclean” thing he touches. It will make him “unclean.” ⁶ The one who touches anything of that kind will be “unclean” until evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has taken a bath. ⁷ When the sun goes down, he will be “clean.” After that, he can eat the sacred offerings. They are his food. ⁸ He must not eat anything found dead or torn apart by wild animals. If he does, it will make him “unclean.” I am the Lord.

⁹ “ ‘The priests must do what I require. But suppose they make fun of what I require. Then they will become guilty and die. I am the Lord. I make them holy.

¹⁰ “ ‘Only a member of a priest’s family can eat the sacred offering. The guest of a priest can’t eat it. A priest’s hired worker can’t eat it either. ¹¹ But suppose a priest buys a slave with money. Or suppose slaves are born in his house. Then they can eat the sacred food. ¹² Suppose a priest’s daughter marries someone who is not a priest. Then she can’t eat any of the food brought as a sacred gift. ¹³ But suppose the priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced. She does not have any children. And she returns to live in her father’s house, where she lived when she was young. Then she can eat her father’s food. But a person who does not belong to a priest’s family can’t eat any of it.

¹⁴ “ ‘Suppose someone eats a sacred offering by mistake. Then they must pay back the priest for the offering. They must also add a fifth of its value to it. ¹⁵ The priests must not allow the sacred offerings to become “unclean.” They are the offerings the Israelites bring to the Lord. ¹⁶ The priests must not allow the offerings to become “unclean” by letting the people eat them. If they do, they will bring guilt on the people. They will have to pay for what they have done. I am the Lord. I make them holy.’ ”