Leviticus 22

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am the LORD.

“Tell Aaron and his sons to be dedicated when dealing with the holy offerings that the Israelites have dedicated to me, so that they don't dishonor my holy character. I am the Lord.

3 “Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things which the children of Israel make holy to the LORD, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am the LORD.

Tell them: These rules apply for all future generations. If any of your descendants in an unclean state comes close to the holy offerings that the Israelites dedicate to honor the Lord, that person must be expelled from my presence. I am the Lord.

4 “‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron is a leper or has a discharge shall not eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man who has a seminal emission,

If one of Aaron's descendants has a skin disease or a discharge, he is not allowed to eat the holy offerings until he is clean. Anyone who touches anything made unclean by a dead body or by a man who has had a release of semen,

5 or whoever touches any creeping thing by which he may be made unclean, or a man from whom he may become unclean, whatever uncleanness he has—

or anyone who touches an unclean animal or an unclean person, (whatever the uncleanness is),

6 the person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things unless he bathes his body in water.

anyone who touches anything like this will remain unclean until evening. He is not allowed to eat from the holy offerings unless he has washed himself with water.

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

At sunset he will become clean, and then he is allowed to eat from the holy offerings because they provide his food.

8 He shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am the LORD.

He must not eat anything that's died, or killed by wild animals, because that would make him unclean. I am the Lord.

9 “‘They shall therefore follow my commandment, lest they bear sin for it and die in it, if they profane it. I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

The priests must do as I demand, so that they don't become guilty and die because they have not done so, treating my requirements with contempt. I am the Lord who makes them holy.

10 “‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

Anyone who isn't part of a priest's family is not allowed eat the holy offerings. This also applies to a priest's guest or his paid worker.

11 But if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and those who are born in his house shall eat of his bread.

However, if a priest uses his own money to buy a slave, or if a slave is born in the priest's household, then that slave is allowed to eat his food.

12 If a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things.

If the priest's daughter gets married to a man who isn't a priest, she is not allowed to eat the holy offerings.

13 But if a priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s bread; but no stranger shall eat any of it.

But if a priest's daughter without children is widowed or divorced and goes back to her father's house, she is allowed to eat her father's food as she did when she was growing up. But no one outside the priest's family can eat it.

14 “‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest.

Anyone who eats a holy offering by mistake must pay compensation by adding a fifth to its value, and give it all to the priest.

15 The priests shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to the LORD,

The priests must not make the holy offerings the Israelites present to the Lord unclean

16 and so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt when they eat their holy things; for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’”

by allowing the people to eat them and in so doing take upon themselves the punishment for guilt. For I am the Lord who makes them holy.”

17 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

18 “Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it is any of their vows or any of their free will offerings, which they offer to the LORD for a burnt offering:

“Tell Aaron, his sons and all the Israelites: If you or foreigner living with you wants to make a gift as a burnt offering to the Lord, whether it's to fulfill a promise or as a freewill offering, this is what you are to do.

19 that you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without defect, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats.

If it is to be accepted on your behalf you must offer a male without defects from the herds of cattle, sheep, or goats.

20 But you shall not offer whatever has a defect, for it shall not be acceptable for you.

Don't present anything with a defect because it won't be accepted on your behalf.

21 Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.

If you want to present a peace offering to the Lord from the herd or flock to fulfill a promise or as a freewill offering, in order to be acceptable the animal must be perfect, completely without defects.

22 You shall not offer what is blind, is injured, is maimed, has a wart, is festering, or has a running sore to the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to the LORD.

Don't present to the Lord an animal that is blind, injured, or damaged in some way, or has warts, skin sores, or scabs. Don't place any animal that has these on the altar as a food offering to the Lord.

23 Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a free will offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

However, you can present a freewill offering of a bull or sheep that has a leg that is too long or too short, but not if it is a sacrifice to fulfill a promise.

24 You must not offer to the LORD that which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut. You must not do this in your land.

Don't present to the Lord an animal with testicles that are accidentally or deliberately damaged. You are not allowed to sacrifice any of these damaged animals in your land.

25 You must not offer any of these as the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner, because their corruption is in them. There is a defect in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’”

Nor are you allowed to accept such animals from a foreigner to be damaged and defective.”

26 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord told Moses,

27 “When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother. From the eighth day on it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to the LORD.

“When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, it must stay with its mother for seven days. After eight days it can be accepted as a food offering to the Lord.

28 Whether it is a cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.

However, don't kill a bull or a sheep and its young on the same day.

29 “When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.

When you present a thank offering to the Lord, make sure to do so in a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.

30 It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am the LORD.

It has to be eaten on the same day. Don't leave any of it until morning. I am the Lord.

31 “Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am the LORD.

Keep my rules and put them into practice. I am the Lord.

32 You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am the LORD who makes you holy,

Don't disgrace my holy character. I must be accepted as holy by you. I am the Lord who makes you holy.

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

I am the one who led you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.”