Leviticus

Contains rules and instructions for rituals, offerings, and how to live a holy life.

Chapter 18

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.

*Tell the people of Israel, "I am the LORD, your God."

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

*After living in Egypt and doing its actions, don't do those things here. And after entering Canaan, don't follow its ways or rules either.

4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.

*Follow my rules and obey my laws. Do this so you can live by them. I am the Lord, your God.

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

*So you must follow my rules and decisions. If someone does this, they will live by them because I am the LORD.

6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

*Don't go near close relatives; don't reveal their private parts. I am the Lord.

7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

*Do not reveal your father's private parts or your mother's private parts. They are your parents, so you must respect their privacy.

8 The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.

*Don't reveal your father's wife's private parts; it would be disrespecting your father.

9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

*Do not reveal the private parts of your sister, whether she's born in your home or elsewhere. It is wrong to do so.

10 The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.

*Do not reveal the nakedness of your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter. Their nakedness is like your own, so you must protect it.

11 The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

*Don't look at your father's wife's daughter, who was born from your father, because she is like a sister to you and you must not see her without clothes.

12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.

*Do not reveal the private parts of your father's sister; she is closely related to your father.

13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.

*Do not expose the private parts of your aunt (your mother's sister): because she is closely related to your mother.

14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

*Do not reveal your uncle's private parts; do not go near his wife as she is your aunt.

15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

*Do not see your daughter-in-law naked. She is your son's wife, and you must not see her naked either.

16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.

*Do not reveal your brother's wife's private parts; it is like revealing your brother's private parts.

17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

*Do not reveal the private parts of a woman and her daughter. Do not marry their granddaughter or great-granddaughter either. They are closely related, and it's wrong to do so.

18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

*Do not marry a woman to her sister so you can upset her and reveal her private parts, while the other sister is still alive.

19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

*Do not go near a woman to reveal her private parts while she is separated for impurity.

20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.

*Don't sleep with your neighbor's spouse; it's wrong and unclean.

21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

*Do not offer your children to Molech by passing them through fire, and do not desecrate God's name. I am the LORD.

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

*Do not have sexual relations with men like you do with women; it is a great sin.

23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

*Do not have sexual relations with animals; don't let a woman stand in front of an animal for the same either. This causes confusion and is wrong.

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

*Don't participate in these activities, as they are what caused other nations to be expelled before you.

25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

*The land is unclean, so I punish its sins and the land makes its people leave.

26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:

*You must follow my rules and decisions, and do not do any of these terrible things - not by you or anyone else living with you.

27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)

*Because of all these terrible actions, the people who lived before you did, and the land has become unclean.

28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

*So that the land doesn't kick you out too, don't make it dirty like it did to the people who lived there before you.

29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

*Whoever does these terrible acts, the ones who do them will be disconnected from their community.

30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

*So follow my rules and don't do the terrible things that happened before you. Don't make yourselves unclean with them. I am the LORD, your God.

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