Leviticus 5

1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and [is] a witness, whether he hath seen or known [of it; ] if he do not utter [it], then he shall bear his iniquity.

If you sin by not giving the evidence you have about a legal case, whether you saw something yourself or heard about it, you bear responsibility for your guilt.

2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether [it be] a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and [if] it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.

If you touch anything unclean such as the dead body of any unclean wild animal or farm animals or vermin, even if you're unaware of it, you become unclean and guilty.

3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness [it be] that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth [of it], then he shall be guilty.

If you touch something unclean from someone else who is unclean, even if you're unaware of it, you become guilty.

4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with [his] lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever [it be] that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth [of it], then he shall be guilty in one of these.

If you foolishly swear to do something, (whether good or bad, and in whatever way people impulsively swear an oath), even if you're unaware of it being wrong, when you eventually realize it, you are guilty.

5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these [things], that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that [thing: ]

If you become guilty in one of these ways, you must confess your sin,

6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.

and you must take your guilt offering of a female lamb or goat to the Lord as a sin offering for your sin. The priest will make your sin right.

7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.

If you can't afford a lamb, you may offer to the Lord as compensation for your sin two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one as a sin offering and one as a burnt offering.

8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer [that] which [is] for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide [it] asunder:

You are to take them to the priest, who shall present the first one as the sin offering. He is to wring its head from the neck without removing it completely.

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it [is] a sin offering.

Then he is to sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar while the rest of the blood is poured out at the bottom of the altar. It is a sin offering.

10 And he shall offer the second [for] a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

The priest must then prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the regulations. In this way the priest will make you right for your sin, and you will be forgiven.

11 But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put [any] frankincense thereon: for it [is] a sin offering.

If you can't afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons you may bring a tenth of an ephah of the best flour as a sin offering. Don't put olive oil or frankincense on it, because it is a sin offering.

12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, [even] a memorial thereof, and burn [it] on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it [is] a sin offering.

Take it to the priest, who shall take a handful as a ‘reminder part’ and burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offerings to the Lord. It is a sin offering.

13 And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and [the remnant] shall be the priest’s, as a meat offering.

This is how the priest will make right any of these sins you have committed, and you will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest, just like the grain offering.”

14 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:

“If any of you neglects unintentionally all that the Lord has declared belong to him and are holy, you must bring your guilt offering to the Lord: a ram without defects from your herd or but one of equivalent value in silver shekels (according to the sanctuary shekel standard). It is a guilt offering.

16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

As regards any holy requirement you failed to contribute, you must pay compensation by adding a fifth of its value to it and then give it to the priest, who will make it right with the ram as a guilt offering, and you will be forgiven.

17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist [it] not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

If you sin and break any of the Lord's commandments, even if you are unaware of it, you are still guilty and bear responsibility for your guilt.

18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist [it] not, and it shall be forgiven him.

You must take to the priest a ram without defects of the appropriate value from the flock as a guilt offering. Then the priest will make right for you the wrong you did in ignorance, and you will be forgiven.

19 It [is] a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.

It is a guilt offering because you were guilty as far as the Lord was concerned.”