Leviticus 18-19

New International Version

Unlawful Sexual Relations

18 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.^(A) ³You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.^(B) ⁴You must obey my laws^(C) and be careful to follow my decrees.^(D) I am the Lord your God.^(E) ⁵Keep my decrees and laws,^(F) for the person who obeys them will live by them.^(G) I am the Lord.

⁶“‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.

⁷“‘Do not dishonor your father^(H) by having sexual relations with your mother.^(I) She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

⁸“‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;^(J) that would dishonor your father.^(K)

⁹“‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister,^(L) either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.^(M)

¹⁰“‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

¹¹“‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

¹²“‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister;^(N) she is your father’s close relative.

¹³“‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,^(O) because she is your mother’s close relative.

¹⁴“‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.^(P)

¹⁵“‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.^(Q) She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.^(R)

¹⁶“‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;^(S) that would dishonor your brother.

¹⁷“‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.^(T) Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

¹⁸“‘Do not take your wife’s sister^(U) as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

¹⁹“‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness^(V) of her monthly period.^(W)

²⁰“‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife^(X) and defile yourself with her.

²¹“‘Do not give any of your children^(Y) to be sacrificed to Molek,^(Z) for you must not profane the name of your God.^(AA) I am the Lord.^(AB)

²²“‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman;^(AC) that is detestable.^(AD)

²³“‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.^(AE)

²⁴“‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you^(AF) became defiled.^(AG) ²⁵Even the land was defiled;^(AH) so I punished it for its sin,^(AI) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.^(AJ) ²⁶But you must keep my decrees and my laws.^(AK) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, ²⁷for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. ²⁸And if you defile the land,^(AL) it will vomit you out^(AM) as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

²⁹“‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. ³⁰Keep my requirements^(AN) and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.^(AO)’”

Various Laws

19 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel^(AP) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,^(AQ) am holy.^(AR)

³“‘Each of you must respect your mother and father,^(AS) and you must observe my Sabbaths.^(AT) I am the Lord your God.^(AU)

⁴“‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.^(AV) I am the Lord your God.^(AW)

⁵“‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. ⁶It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.^(AX) ⁷If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.^(AY) ⁸Whoever eats it will be held responsible^(AZ) because they have desecrated what is holy^(BA) to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people.^(BB)

⁹“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges^(BC) of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^(BD) ¹⁰Do not go over your vineyard a second time^(BE) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.^(BF) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.^(BG) I am the Lord your God.

¹¹“‘Do not steal.^(BH)

“‘Do not lie.^(BI)

“‘Do not deceive one another.^(BJ)

¹²“‘Do not swear falsely^(BK) by my name^(BL) and so profane^(BM) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

¹³“‘Do not defraud or rob^(BN) your neighbor.^(BO)

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker^(BP) overnight.^(BQ)

¹⁴“‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,^(BR) but fear your God.^(BS) I am the Lord.

¹⁵“‘Do not pervert justice;^(BT) do not show partiality^(BU) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(BV) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(BW)

¹⁶“‘Do not go about spreading slander^(BX) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.^(BY) I am the Lord.

¹⁷“‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.^(BZ) Rebuke your neighbor frankly^(CA) so you will not share in their guilt.

¹⁸“‘Do not seek revenge^(CB) or bear a grudge^(CC) against anyone among your people,^(CD) but love your neighbor^(CE) as yourself.^(CF) I am the Lord.

¹⁹“‘Keep my decrees.^(CG)

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.^(CH)

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.^(CI)

²⁰“‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man^(CJ) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.^[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. ²¹The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord.^(CK) ²²With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.^(CL)

²³“‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[c]; it must not be eaten. ²⁴In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,^(CM) an offering of praise to the Lord. ²⁵But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

²⁶“‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.^(CN)

“‘Do not practice divination^(CO) or seek omens.^(CP)

²⁷“‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.^(CQ)

²⁸“‘Do not cut^(CR) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

²⁹“‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,^(CS) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.^(CT)

³⁰“‘Observe my Sabbaths^(CU) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.^(CV)

³¹“‘Do not turn to mediums^(CW) or seek out spiritists,^(CX) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

³²“‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect^(CY) for the elderly^(CZ) and revere your God.^(DA) I am the Lord.^(DB)

³³“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. ³⁴The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.^(DC) Love them as yourself,^(DD) for you were foreigners^(DE) in Egypt.^(DF) I am the Lord your God.

³⁵“‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.^(DG) ³⁶Use honest scales^(DH) and honest weights, an honest ephah^[d]^(DI) and an honest hin.^[e]^(DJ) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.^(DK)

³⁷“‘Keep all my decrees^(DL) and all my laws^(DM) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Footnotes

Leviticus 19:20 Or be an inquiry
Leviticus 19:23 Hebrew uncircumcised
Leviticus 19:23 Hebrew uncircumcised
Leviticus 19:36 An ephah was a dry measure having the capacity of about 3/5 of a bushel or about 22 liters.
Leviticus 19:36 A hin was a liquid measure having the capacity of about 1 gallon or about 3.8 liters.

Psalm 70-71

New International Version

Psalm 70^[a]^(A)

For the director of music. Of David. A petition.

¹Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.^(B)

²May those who want to take my life^(C)
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.^(D)
³May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”^(E)
    turn back because of their shame.
⁴But may all who seek you^(F)
    rejoice and be glad^(G) in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”^(H)

⁵But as for me, I am poor and needy;^(I)
come quickly to me,^(J) O God.
You are my help^(K) and my deliverer;^(L)
Lord, do not delay.^(M)

Psalm 71^(N)

¹In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;^(O)
    let me never be put to shame.^(P)
²In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
    turn your ear^(Q) to me and save me.
³Be my rock of refuge,
    to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.^(R)
⁴Deliver^(S) me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,^(T)
    from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.^(U)

⁵For you have been my hope,^(V) Sovereign Lord,
    my confidence^(W) since my youth.
⁶From birth^(X) I have relied on you;
    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.^(Y)
    I will ever praise^(Z) you.
⁷I have become a sign^(AA) to many;
    you are my strong refuge.^(AB)
⁸My mouth^(AC) is filled with your praise,
    declaring your splendor^(AD) all day long.

⁹Do not cast^(AE) me away when I am old;^(AF)
    do not forsake^(AG) me when my strength is gone.
¹⁰For my enemies^(AH) speak against me;
    those who wait to kill^(AI) me conspire^(AJ) together.
¹¹They say, “God has forsaken^(AK) him;
    pursue him and seize him,
    for no one will rescue^(AL) him.”
¹²Do not be far^(AM) from me, my God;
    come quickly, God, to help^(AN) me.
¹³May my accusers^(AO) perish in shame;^(AP)
    may those who want to harm me
    be covered with scorn and disgrace.^(AQ)

¹⁴As for me, I will always have hope;^(AR)
I will praise you more and more.

¹⁵My mouth will tell^(AS) of your righteous deeds,^(AT)
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
¹⁶I will come and proclaim your mighty acts,^(AU) Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
¹⁷Since my youth, God, you have taught^(AV) me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.^(AW)
¹⁸Even when I am old and gray,^(AX)
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power^(AY) to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.^(AZ)

¹⁹Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,^(BA)
    you who have done great things.^(BB)
    Who is like you, God?^(BC)
²⁰Though you have made me see troubles,^(BD)
    many and bitter,
    you will restore^(BE) my life again;
from the depths of the earth^(BF)
    you will again bring me up.
²¹You will increase my honor^(BG)
    and comfort^(BH) me once more.

²²I will praise you with the harp^(BI)
    for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,^(BJ)
    Holy One of Israel.^(BK)
²³My lips will shout for joy^(BL)
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered.^(BM)
²⁴My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
    all day long,^(BN)
for those who wanted to harm me^(BO)
    have been put to shame and confusion.^(BP)

Footnotes

Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.

2 Corinthians 13

New International Version

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.^(A) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”^[a]^(B) ²I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent:^(C) On my return I will not spare^(D) those who sinned earlier^(E) or any of the others, ³since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.^(F) He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. ⁴For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness,^(G) yet he lives by God’s power.^(H) Likewise, we are weak^(I) in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him^(J) in our dealing with you.

⁵Examine yourselves^(K) to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.^(L) Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you^(M)—unless, of course, you fail the test? ⁶And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. ⁷Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. ⁸For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹We are glad whenever we are weak^(N) but you are strong;^(O) and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.^(P) ¹⁰This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh^(Q) in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.^(R)

Final Greetings

¹¹Finally, brothers and sisters,^(S) rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.^(T) And the God of love^(U) and peace^(V) will be with you.

¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss.^(W) ¹³All God’s people here send their greetings.^(X)

¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,^(Y) and the love of God,^(Z) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit^(AA) be with you all.