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Laws about Right Living

¹ The Lord said to Moses, ² "Say to all the people of Israel, ‘Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. ³ Every one of you must have respect for his mother and his father. And keep My Days of Rest. I am the Lord your God. ⁴ Do not turn to false gods or make gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God.

⁵ ‘When you give the Lord a peace gift, give it so you will be pleasing Him. ⁶ It will be eaten the same day you give it, and the next day. But what is left until the third day will be burned with fire. ⁷ If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is a sin. It will not be received. ⁸ Every one who eats it will carry his guilt. For he has made the holy thing of the Lord sinful. That person will not be among God's people.

⁹ ‘When you pick the food of your land at gathering time, do not pick all the way to the corners of your field. And do not gather the food left on the ground there after you have picked. ¹⁰ Do not gather what is left among your vines, or gather the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for those in need and for the stranger. I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ ‘Do not steal. Be honest in what you do. Do not lie to one another. ¹² Do not lie when you make a promise in My name, and so put the name of your God to shame. I am the Lord.

¹³ ‘Do not make it hard for your neighbor or rob him. You should not keep the pay of a man who works for you until the next morning. ¹⁴ Do not say bad things against a man who cannot hear. Do not put something in the way of a man who cannot see. But fear your God. I am the Lord.

¹⁵ ‘Be fair in how you judge. Do not show favor to the poor or to the great. Be fair in how you judge your neighbor. ¹⁶ Do not go around saying things that hurt your people. Do not do things against the life of your neighbor. I am the Lord.

¹⁷ ‘In your heart do not hate someone from your own country. You may speak sharp words to your neighbor, but do not sin because of him. ¹⁸ Do not hurt someone who has hurt you. Do not keep on hating the sons of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

¹⁹ ‘Keep My Laws. Do not let your cattle have young by a different kind. Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. Do not wear clothing made of two kinds of cloth. ²⁰ If a man lies with a woman who is a servant, promised to another man, but has not been paid for or made free, they must be punished. But they will not be put to death, because she was not free. ²¹ He will bring his guilt gift to the Lord at the door of the meeting tent. A ram will be used for the guilt gift before the Lord. ²² With it the religious leader will go through the worship of washing to take away the man's sin, and he will be forgiven for the sin he has done.

²³ ‘When you come into the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, think of their fruit as being something you should not touch. You should not touch it for three years. It must not be eaten. ²⁴ But in the fourth year all their fruit will be holy, a gift of praise to the Lord. ²⁵ In the fifth year you may eat of their fruit, so they may give more food for you. I am the Lord your God.

²⁶ ‘Do not eat anything with the blood in it. Do not tell the future or do witchcraft. ²⁷ Do not cut the hair on the side of your head or face. ²⁸ Do not make any cuts on your body for the dead. Do not burn any pictures that will stay on your body. I am the Lord.

²⁹ ‘Do not put your daughter to shame by making her sell the use of her body. Or the land will become full of shame and sin. ³⁰ Keep My Days of Rest and honor My holy place. I am the Lord.

³¹ ‘Do not ask what you should do from those who speak with bad spirits or talk to the dead. Do not find them or you will be unclean. I am the Lord your God.

³² ‘Show respect to the person with white hair. Honor an older person and you will honor your God. I am the Lord.

³³ ‘If a stranger lives with you in your land, do not do wrong to him. ³⁴ You should act toward the stranger who lives among you as you would toward one born among you. Love him as you love yourself. For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

³⁵ ‘Do not lie about the weight or price of anything. ³⁶ Always tell the truth about it. I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt. ³⁷ Keep all My Laws and do all that I tell you. I am the Lord.'"