Deuteronomy 16

1 'Observe the month of Abib — and thou hast made a passover to Jehovah thy God, for in the month of Abib hath Jehovah thy God brought thee out of Egypt by night;

You are to observe the month of Abib and to celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, because it was in the month of Abib that the Lord your God led you out of Egypt by night.

2 and thou hast sacrificed a passover to Jehovah thy God, of the flock, and of the herd, in the place which Jehovah doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle there.

The Passover sacrifice from your herd or flock must be offered to the Lord your God in the place where the Lord will choose to live with you.

3 'Thou dost not eat with it any fermented thing, seven days thou dost eat with it unleavened things, bread of affliction; for in haste thou hast come out of the land of Egypt; so that thou dost remember the day of thy coming out of the land of Egypt all days of thy life;

Don't eat ordinary bread with it. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast with it, the bread of hardship, because you had to leave Egypt in such a hurry. This way you'll remember day you left Egypt for the rest of your lives.

4 and there is not seen with thee leaven in all thy border seven days, and there doth not remain of the flesh which thou dost sacrifice at evening on the first day till morning.

Don't have yeast anywhere in your country for seven days. Don't keep any of the meat that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day until the morning.

5 'Thou art not able to sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee,

Don't sacrifice the Passover animal in any of the towns that the Lord your God is giving you.

6 except at the place which Jehovah thy God doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle — there thou dost sacrifice the passover in the evening, at the going in of the sun, the season of thy coming out of Egypt;

The Passover sacrifice must be offered by you only at the place where the Lord your God will choose to live with you. You are to do this in the evening at sunset-the same time you left Egypt.

7 and thou hast cooked and eaten in the place on which Jehovah thy God doth fix, and hast turned in the morning, and gone to thy tents;

Cook it and eat it in the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning go back to your tents.

8 six days thou dost eat unleavened things, and on the seventh day [is] a restraint to Jehovah thy God; thou dost do no work.

Eat bread without yeast for six days, and the on the seventh day you are to have a holy meeting to honor the Lord your God. You are not to do any work.

9 'Seven weeks thou dost number to thee; from the beginning of the sickle among the standing corn thou dost begin to number seven weeks,

Count off seven weeks from when you start the grain harvest.

10 and thou hast made the feast of weeks to Jehovah thy God, a tribute of a free-will offering of thy hand, which thou dost give, as Jehovah thy God doth bless thee.

Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to honor him the Lord your God by giving him a freewill offering, depending on just how much the Lord your God has blessed you.

11 And thou hast rejoiced before Jehovah thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and the Levite who [is] within thy gates, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who [are] in thy midst, in the place which Jehovah thy God doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle there,

You will celebrate in the Lord's presence in the place where he will choose to live with you. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, and the Levites who live in your towns, as well as the foreigners, orphans, and widows among you.

12 and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in Egypt, and hast observed and done these statutes.

Don't forget that you were once slaves in Egypt, and be careful to follow these regulations.

13 'The feast of booths thou dost make for thee seven days, in thine in-gathering of thy threshing-floor, and of thy wine-vat;

Celebrate the Festival of Shelters for seven days once you have finished threshing your grain and pressing your grapes.

14 and thou hast rejoiced in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and the Levite, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who [are] within thy gates.

Enjoy your feast—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, and the Levites who live in your towns, as well as the foreigners, orphans, and widows among you.

15 Seven days thou dost feast before Jehovah thy God, in the place which Jehovah doth choose, for Jehovah thy God doth bless thee in all thine increase, and in every work of thy hands, and thou hast been only rejoicing.

Celebrate this Festival for seven days to honor the Lord your God in the place he will choose, because the Lord your God will bless your whole harvest and everything you do, so you will be really happy.

16 'Three times in a year doth every one of thy males appear before Jehovah thy God in the place which He doth choose — in the feast of unleavened things, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths; and they do not appear before Jehovah empty;

All your men must come before the Lord your God in the place He will choose three times every year: the Festival of Bread without Yeast, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters. No one should come before the Lord without an offering.

17 each according to the gift of his hand, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God, which He hath given to thee.

Each of you is to bring whatever gift you can, depending on how much the Lord your God has blessed you.

18 'Judges and authorities thou dost make to thee within all thy gates which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, for thy tribes; and they have judged the people — a righteous judgment.

Choose judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town that the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

19 Thou dost not turn aside judgment; thou dost not discern faces, nor take a bribe, for the bribe blindeth the eyes of the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Don't pervert justice or show favoritism. Don't take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the wise and twists the words of the truthful.

20 Righteousness — righteousness thou dost pursue, so that thou livest, and hast possessed the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee.

Always do what is right and just, so that you may go on living, occupying the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

21 'Thou dost not plant for thee a shrine of any trees near the altar of Jehovah thy God, which thou makest for thyself,

Don't ever set up a wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you build for the Lord your God,

22 and thou dost not raise up to thee any standing image which Jehovah thy God is hating.

and don't make for yourselves an idolatrous stone pillar, which the Lord your God hates.