Leviticus 18

1 The LORD said to Moses,

Yahweh also said to Moses/me,

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

“Speak to the Israeli people and tell them [that I, Yahweh, say this] this: I am Yahweh, your God.

3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes.

[So you must do what I want you to do]; you must not do the things that the people in Egypt, where you lived previously, do; and you must not do what is done by the people in Canaan, the land to which I am taking you. Do not imitate their behavior.

4 You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God.

You must obey all of my laws [DOU], because it is I, Yahweh your God, [who am commanding those laws].

5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am the LORD.

If you obey all my laws and decrees, you will continue to remain alive [for a long time]. I, Yahweh, [am the one who is promising that to you]. [These are some of my laws]:

6 “‘None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

“Do not have sex with any of your close relatives. It is I, Yahweh, [who am commanding that].

7 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

“Do not disgrace your father by having sex with your mother [DOU].

8 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness.

“Do not have sex with any of your father’s [other] wives, because that would disgrace your father.

9 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.

“Do not have sex with your sister or your stepsister; it does not matter whether she was born in your house or somewhere else.

10 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness; for theirs is your own nakedness.

“Do not have sex with your granddaughter, because that would disgrace you.

11 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, conceived by your father, since she is your sister.

“Do not have sex with your half-sister, because she is your sister.

12 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman.

“Do not have sex with your father’s sister, because she is your father’s close relative.

13 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman.

“Do not have sex with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative.

14 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt.

“Do not disgrace your (uncle/father’s brother) by having sex with his wife, because she is your aunt.

15 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness.

“Do not have sex with [DOU] your daughter-in-law, because she is your son’s wife.

16 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness.

“Do not have sex with your brother’s wife, because that would disgrace your brother.

17 “‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness. They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness.

“Do not have sex with the daughter or granddaughter of any woman whom you have previously had sex with; they are [her] (OR, [your]) close relatives. Having sex with any of them would be a wicked thing to do.

18 “‘You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival, to uncover her nakedness, while her sister is still alive.

“While your wife is still living, do not marry your wife’s sister and have sex with her.

19 “‘You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness.

“Do not have sex with any woman while she is having her monthly menstrual period.

20 “‘You shall not lie carnally with your neighbour’s wife, and defile yourself with her.

“Do not (defile yourself/make yourself unacceptable to me) by having sex with someone else’s wife.

21 “‘You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

“Do not give any of your children to be burned to be a sacrifice to the god Molech, because that would show that you do not revere me [MTY], Yahweh, your God.

22 “‘You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable.

“No man should have sex with another man; that is detestable.

23 “‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.

“No one, man or woman, should (defile himself/cause himself to become unacceptable to me) by having sex with an animal; that is a perverse act.

24 “‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled.

“Do not (defile yourselves/cause yourselves to become unacceptable to me) in any of those ways, because doing those things is how the people of the nations that I expelled as you advanced became (unacceptable to me/defiled).

25 The land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.

They even caused the land to become defiled, so I punished them for their sins, and [it was as though] the land vomited out the people who lived there.

26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner amongst you

You must all obey my laws and decrees. That includes you people who were born here and the foreigners who live among you.

27 (for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations, and the land became defiled),

All those detestable things were done by the people who lived in this land before you came here, and they caused the land to become defiled.

28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.

So if you defile the land, I will get rid of [MET] you like I got rid of the people of those nations that were here before you came.

29 “‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from amongst their people.

“You must not allow people who do any of those detestable things to associate with you who are my people.

30 Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practise any of these abominable customs which were practised before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.’”

Obey everything that I command you to do, and do not defile yourselves by practicing any of the detestable customs that were practiced [by the people who were there] before you came. I, Yahweh your God, [am the one who is commanding these things].”