Leviticus

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

Chapter 22

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.

*Tell Aaron and his sons to stay away from the special things belonging to the people of Israel. They must not make my holy name unholy by using these special items. I am the Lord.

3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.

*Tell them, "Anyone from your descendants, no matter how far back in generations, who approaches the holy things that the children of Israel set apart for the LORD while they are unclean, will be separated from me; I am the LORD."

4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;

*Any man from the family of Aaron who has leprosy or a discharge cannot eat holy food until he is clean. Anyone who touches something unclean because of death or a person with no children must also not eat holy food.

5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;

*Or whoever touches any crawling creature that makes you impure, or a person who can make you impure with their impurity, whatever impurity they have;

6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

*If you touch something unclean, your soul becomes unclean too. You can't eat holy food without washing yourself with water first.

7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.

*When the sun sets, he will be clean and can then eat the sacred food, as it is his nourishment.

8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.

*Anything that dies on its own or gets ripped by animals, don't eat it to make yourself unclean; I am the LORD.

9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

*They must follow my rules to avoid sinning and dying; if they desecrate it, I, the Lord, will make them holy.

10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

*No outsider can eat the special food: a temporary visitor from the priest's family or a paid worker can't eat the special food.

11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.

*But if the priest buys someone with his money, he can eat from it, and the person born in his home: they can eat his food too.

12 If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

*If the priest's daughter marries someone from another tribe, she cannot eat sacred offerings.

13 But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.

*But if the priest's daughter becomes a widow or divorced with no children, and returns to her father's home like when she was young, she can eat her father's food. However, no outsider can eat it.

14 And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.

*If a person eats something holy by mistake, they must add one-fifth of what they ate to it, then give it all to the priest along with the holy item.

15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD;

*And they must not desecrate the sacred items of the Israelites, which they give to the LORD.

16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

*Allow them to endure wrongdoing when eating their sacred food, because I, the Lord, make them holy.

17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;

*Tell Aaron and his sons, as well as all the people of Israel, "No matter who you are from the Israelite family or living in Israel, if you want to give an offering for any vows you made or out of your own free will, use it as a burnt offering to honor the LORD."

19 Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

*Offer, if you want to, a perfect male animal from cows, sheep, or goats.

20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

*But if something is flawed, don't offer it; it won't be accepted by God.

21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

*Whoever gives a peace offering to God to fulfill a promise or a voluntary gift of cows or sheep, it must be without flaws and accepted; there should be no defect in it.

22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.

*If you are blind, hurt, deformed, have a growth, sick with scurvy, or have scabs, do not give these to the Lord or burn them on the altar for Him.

23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

*If a cow or a sheep has extra or missing parts, you can use it for a voluntary offering. But for a vow, it won't be accepted.

24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.

*Do not give God damaged or destroyed things; also, do not make any offerings with these in your land.

25 Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

*Do not take food offered by strangers to worship God, as they have bad things in them. They won't be accepted for you.

26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

*When a calf, or a lamb, or a kid is born, it stays with its mother for seven days. After that, on the eighth day, it's considered an offering to God when burned in fire.

28 And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.

*Don't kill a cow or a sheep and its babies on the same day.

29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.

*When you want to give thanks to God, do it whenever you choose.

30 On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.

*On that day, eat it all; don't save any leftovers for later. I am the Lord.

31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.

*So, you must follow my rules and do them; I am the LORD.

32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you,

*Don't misuse my holy name; I will be respected by the people of Israel. I am the Lord who makes you holy.

33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.

*The one who took you from Egypt wants to be your God: It's me, the Lord.

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