Old/New Testament
“Clean” and “Unclean” Food
11 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said to them, 2 “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Many animals live on land. Here are the only ones you can eat. 3 You can eat any animal that has hooves that are separated completely in two. But it must also chew the cud.
4 “ ‘Some animals only chew the cud. Some only have hooves that are separated in two. You must not eat those animals. Camels chew the cud. But their hooves are not separated in two. So they are “unclean” for you. 5 Rock badgers chew the cud. But their hooves are not separated in two. So they are “unclean” for you. 6 Rabbits chew the cud. But their hooves are not separated in two. So they are “unclean” for you. 7 Pigs have hooves that are separated completely in two. But they do not chew the cud. So they are “unclean” for you. 8 You must not eat the meat of those animals. You must not even touch their dead bodies. They are “unclean” for you.
9 “ ‘Many creatures live in the water of the oceans and streams. You can eat all those that have fins and scales. 10 Treat as “unclean” all the creatures in the oceans or streams that do not have fins and scales. That includes all those that move together in groups and all those that do not. 11 Treat them as “unclean.” Do not eat their meat. Treat their dead bodies as “unclean.” 12 Regard as “unclean” everything that lives in the water that does not have fins and scales.
13 “ ‘Here are the birds you must treat as “unclean.” Do not eat them because they are “unclean.” The birds include eagles, vultures and black vultures. 14 They include red kites and all kinds of black kites. 15 They include all kinds of ravens. 16 They include horned owls, screech owls, gulls and all kinds of hawks. 17 They include little owls, cormorants and great owls. 18 They include white owls, desert owls and ospreys. 19 They also include storks, hoopoes, bats and all kinds of herons.
20 “ ‘Treat as “unclean” every flying insect that walks on all fours. 21 But you can eat some flying insects that walk on all fours. Their legs have joints so they can hop on the ground. 22 Here are the insects you can eat. You can eat all kinds of locusts, katydids, crickets and grasshoppers. 23 Treat as “unclean” every other creature with wings and four legs.
24 “ ‘You will make yourselves “unclean” if you eat these things. If you touch their dead bodies, you will be “unclean” until evening. 25 If a person picks up one of their dead bodies, that person must wash their clothes. They will be “unclean” until evening.
26 “ ‘Suppose an animal has hooves that are not separated completely in two. Or suppose an animal does not chew the cud. Then these animals are “unclean” for you. If you touch the dead body of any of them, you will be “unclean.” 27 Many animals walk on all fours. But those that walk on their paws are “unclean” for you. Anyone who touches their dead bodies will be “unclean” until evening. 28 If a person picks up their dead bodies, that person must wash their clothes. They will be “unclean” until evening. These animals are “unclean” for you.
29 “ ‘Many animals move along the ground. Here are the ones that are “unclean” for you. They include weasels, rats and all kinds of large lizards. 30 They also include geckos, monitor lizards, wall lizards, skinks and chameleons. 31 These are the animals that move around on the ground that are “unclean” for you. If you touch their dead bodies, you will be “unclean” until evening. 32 Suppose one of them dies and falls on something. Then that thing will be “unclean.” It does not matter what it is used for. It does not matter whether it is made out of wood, cloth, hide or rough cloth. Put it in water. It will be “unclean” until evening. After that, it will be “clean.” 33 Suppose one of these animals falls into a clay pot. Then everything in the pot will be “unclean.” You must break the pot. 34 Any food that could be eaten but has water on it that came from that pot is “unclean.” And any liquid that could be drunk from it is “unclean.” 35 Anything that the dead body of one of these animals falls on becomes “unclean.” If it is an oven or cooking pot, break it. It is “unclean.” And you must consider it “unclean.” 36 But a spring or a well for collecting water remains “clean.” That is true even if the dead body of one of these animals falls into it. But anyone who touches the dead body is not “clean.” 37 If the dead body falls on any seeds that have not been planted yet, the seeds remain “clean.” 38 But suppose water has already been put on the seeds. And suppose the dead body falls on them. Then they are “unclean” for you.
39 “ ‘Suppose an animal you are allowed to eat dies. If anyone touches its dead body, they will be “unclean” until evening. 40 If they eat part of the dead body, they must wash their clothes. They will be “unclean” until evening. If they pick up the dead body, they must wash their clothes. They will be “unclean” until evening.
41 “ ‘Treat as “unclean” every creature that moves along the ground. Do not eat it. 42 Do not eat any of these creatures. It does not matter whether they move on their bellies. It does not matter whether they walk on all fours or on many feet. It is “unclean.” 43 Do not make yourselves “unclean” by eating any of these animals. Do not make yourselves “unclean” because of them. Do not let them make you “unclean.” 44 I am the Lord your God. Set yourselves apart. Be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves “unclean” by eating any creatures that move around on the ground. 45 I am the Lord. I brought you up out of Egypt to be your God. So be holy, because I am holy.
46 “ ‘These are the rules about animals and birds. These are the rules about every living thing that moves around in the water. And these are the rules about every creature that moves along the ground. 47 You must be able to tell the difference between what is “clean” and what is not. You must also be able to tell the difference between living creatures that can be eaten and those that can’t.’ ”
Becoming “Clean” After Having a Baby
12 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 2 “Speak to the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Suppose a woman becomes pregnant and has a baby boy. Then she will be “unclean” for seven days. It is the same as when she is “unclean” during her monthly period. 3 On the eighth day the boy must be circumcised. 4 After that, the woman must wait for 33 days to be made pure from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred until the 33 days are over. During that time she must not go to the sacred tent. 5 But suppose she has a baby girl. Then she will be “unclean” for two weeks. It is the same as during her period. After the two weeks, she must wait for 66 days to be made pure from her bleeding.
6 “ ‘After she has waited the required number of days to be made pure, she must bring two offerings. She must take them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. She must bring a lamb a year old for a burnt offering. She must also bring a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. 7 The priest must offer them to the Lord. They will pay for her sin. Then she will be “clean” from her bleeding.
“ ‘These are the rules for a woman who has a baby boy or girl. 8 But suppose she can’t afford a lamb. Then she must bring two doves or two young pigeons. One is for a burnt offering. The other is for a sin offering. The priest will sacrifice those offerings. That will pay for her sin. And she will be “clean.” ’ ”
The Plan to Kill Jesus
26 Jesus finished saying all these things. Then he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover Feast is two days away. The Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to a cross.”
3 Then the chief priests met with the elders of the people. They met in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest. 4 They made plans to arrest Jesus secretly. They wanted to kill him. 5 “But not during the feast,” they said. “The people may stir up trouble.”
A Woman Pours Perfume on Jesus
6 Jesus was in Bethany. He was in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. 7 A woman came to Jesus with a special sealed jar of very expensive perfume. She poured the perfume on his head while he was at the table.
8 When the disciples saw this, they became angry. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “The perfume could have been sold at a high price. The money could have been given to poor people.”
10 Jesus was aware of this. So he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 You will always have poor people with you. But you will not always have me. 12 She poured the perfume on my body to prepare me to be buried. 13 What I’m about to tell you is true. What she has done will be told anywhere this good news is preached all over the world. It will be told in memory of her.”
Judas Agrees to Hand Jesus Over
14 One of the 12 disciples went to the chief priests. His name was Judas Iscariot. 15 He asked, “What will you give me if I hand Jesus over to you?” So they counted out 30 silver coins for him. 16 From then on, Judas watched for the right time to hand Jesus over to them.
The Lord’s Supper
17 It was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The disciples came to Jesus. They asked, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover meal?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover at your house with my disciples.” ’ ” 19 So the disciples did what Jesus had told them to do. They prepared the Passover meal.
20 When evening came, Jesus was at the table with his 12 disciples. 21 While they were eating, he said, “What I’m about to tell you is true. One of you will hand me over to my enemies.”
22 The disciples became very sad. One after the other, they began to say to him, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord, do you?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will hand me over. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But how terrible it will be for the one who hands over the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
25 Judas was the one who was going to hand him over. He said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Teacher, do you?”
Jesus answered, “You have said so.”
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