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Leviticus 1-2
Contemporary English Version
Leviticus 1-2
Contemporary English Version
1 1-3 The Lord spoke to Moses from the sacred tent and gave him instructions for the community of Israel to follow when they offered sacrifices.
Sacrifices To Please the Lord
The Lord said:
Sacrifices to please me[a] must be completely burned on the bronze altar.[b]
Bulls or rams or goats[c] are the animals to be used for these sacrifices. If the animal is a bull, it must not have anything wrong with it. Lead it to the entrance of the sacred tent, and I will let you know if it is[d] acceptable to me. 4 Lay your hand on its head, and I will accept the animal as a sacrifice for taking away your sins.
5 After the bull is killed in my presence, some priests from Aaron's family will offer its blood to me by splattering it against the four sides of the altar.
6 Skin the bull and cut it up, 7 while the priests pile wood on the altar fire to make it start blazing. 8-9 Wash the bull's insides and hind legs, so the priests can lay them on the altar with the head, the fat, and the rest of the animal. A priest will then send all of it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
10 If you sacrifice a ram or a goat, it must not have anything wrong with it. 11 Lead the animal to the north side of the altar, where it is to be killed in my presence. Then some of the priests will splatter its blood against the four sides of the altar.
12-13 Cut up the animal and wash its insides and hind legs. A priest will put these parts on the altar with the head, the fat, and the rest of the animal. Then he will send all of it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
14 If you offer a bird for this kind of sacrifice, it must be a dove or a pigeon. 15 A priest will take the bird to the bronze altar, where he will wring its neck and put its head on the fire. Then he will drain out its blood on one side of the altar, 16 remove the bird's craw with what is in it,[e] and throw them on the ash heap at the east side of the altar.[f] 17 Finally, he will take the bird by its wings, tear it partially open,[g] and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me.
Sacrifices To Give Thanks to the Lord
The Lord said:
2 When you offer sacrifices to give thanks to me,[h] you must use only your finest flour. Put it in a dish, sprinkle olive oil and incense on the flour, 2 and take it to the priests from Aaron's family. One of them will scoop up the incense together with a handful of the flour and oil. Then, to show that the whole offering belongs to me, the priest will lay this part on the bronze altar and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. 3 The rest of this sacrifice is for the priests; it is very holy because it was offered to me.
4 If you bake bread in an oven for this sacrifice, use only your finest flour, but without any yeast. You may make the flour into a loaf mixed with olive oil, or you may make it into thin wafers and brush them with oil.
5 If you cook bread in a shallow pan for this sacrifice, use only your finest flour. Mix it with olive oil, but do not use any yeast. 6 Then break the bread into small pieces and sprinkle them with oil. 7 If you cook your bread in a pan with a lid on it, you must also use the finest flour mixed with oil.
8 You may prepare sacrifices to give thanks in any of these three ways. Bring your sacrifice to a priest, and he will take it to the bronze altar. 9 Then, to show that the whole offering belongs to me, the priest will lay part of it on the altar and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. 10 The rest of this sacrifice is for the priests; it is very holy because it was offered to me.
11 Yeast and honey must never be burned on the altar, so don't ever mix either of these in a grain sacrifice. 12 You may offer either of them separately,[i] when you present the first part of your harvest to me, but they must never be burned on the altar.
13 Salt is offered when you make an agreement with me, so sprinkle salt on these sacrifices.
14 Freshly cut grain, either roasted or coarsely ground,[j] must be used when you offer the first part of your grain harvest. 15 You must mix in some olive oil and put incense on top, because this is a grain sacrifice. 16 A priest will sprinkle all of the incense and some of the grain and oil on the altar and send them up in smoke to show that the whole offering belongs to me.
Footnotes
- 1.1-3 Sacrifices to please me: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “whole burnt offerings” because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the Lord with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called “sacrifices to please the Lord.”
- 1.1-3 bronze altar: This altar for offering sacrifices was in front of the entrance to the sacred tent; it was made of acacia wood covered with bronze. A smaller altar for offering incense was inside the tent; it was made of acacia wood covered with gold.
- 1.1-3 goats: Hebrew “male goats.”
- 1.1-3 if it is: Or “if you are.”
- 1.16 with what is in it: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 1.16 ash heap at the east side of the altar: Ashes were piled here, then once a day they were taken to the ash heap outside the camp (see 4.11,12; 6.10,11).
- 1.17 tear it partially open: Or “tear it open without pulling off the wings.”
- 2.1 sacrifices to give thanks to me: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “grain offerings.” A main purpose of such sacrifices was to thank the Lord with a gift of grain, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called “sacrifices to give thanks to the Lord.”
- 2.12 You … separately: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 2.14 either … ground: Or “roasted and coarsely ground.”
Leviticus 1-2
New International Version
Leviticus 1-2
New International Version
The Burnt Offering
1 The Lord called to Moses(A) and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.(B) He said, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord,(C) bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.(D)
3 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering(E) from the herd,(F) you are to offer a male without defect.(G) You must present it at the entrance to the tent(H) of meeting so that it will be acceptable(I) to the Lord. 4 You are to lay your hand on the head(J) of the burnt offering,(K) and it will be accepted(L) on your behalf to make atonement(M) for you. 5 You are to slaughter(N) the young bull(O) before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons(P) the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar(Q) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 You are to skin(R) the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.(S) 7 The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood(T) on the fire. 8 Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat,(U) on the wood(V) that is burning on the altar. 9 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(W) and the priest is to burn all of it(X) on the altar.(Y) It is a burnt offering,(Z) a food offering,(AA) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(AB)
10 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep(AC) or the goats,(AD) you are to offer a male without defect. 11 You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar(AE) before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar.(AF) 12 You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat,(AG) on the wood that is burning on the altar. 13 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(AH) and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them(AI) on the altar.(AJ) It is a burnt offering,(AK) a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
14 “‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon.(AL) 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head(AM) and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar.(AN) 16 He is to remove the crop and the feathers[a] and throw them down east of the altar where the ashes(AO) are. 17 He shall tear it open by the wings, not dividing it completely,(AP) and then the priest shall burn it on the wood(AQ) that is burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.
The Grain Offering
2 “‘When anyone brings a grain offering(AR) to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour.(AS) They are to pour olive oil(AT) on it,(AU) put incense on it(AV) 2 and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour(AW) and oil, together with all the incense,(AX) and burn this as a memorial[b] portion(AY) on the altar, a food offering,(AZ) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BA) 3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;(BB) it is a most holy(BC) part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.
4 “‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven,(BD) it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves(BE) made without yeast and brushed with olive oil.(BF) 5 If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle,(BG) it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. 6 Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7 If your grain offering is cooked in a pan,(BH) it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. 8 Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. 9 He shall take out the memorial portion(BI) from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BJ) 10 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;(BK) it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.(BL)
11 “‘Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast,(BM) for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. 12 You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits,(BN) but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13 Season all your grain offerings with salt.(BO) Do not leave the salt of the covenant(BP) of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.
14 “‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits(BQ) to the Lord, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. 15 Put oil and incense(BR) on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall burn the memorial portion(BS) of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense,(BT) as a food offering presented to the Lord.(BU)
Footnotes
- Leviticus 1:16 Or crop with its contents; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Leviticus 2:2 Or representative; also in verses 9 and 16
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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