¹³ “‘Do not defraud or rob^(A) your neighbor.^(B)

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

⁷ If anyone is poor^(A) among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted^(B) toward them. ⁸ Rather, be openhanded^(C) and freely lend them whatever they need. ⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts,^(D) is near,” so that you do not show ill will^(E) toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.^{(F) 10} Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart;^(G) then because of this the Lord your God will bless^(H) you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. ¹¹ There will always be poor people^(I) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.^(J)

Freeing Servants^(K)(L)

¹² If any of your people—Hebrew men or women—sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free.^{(M) 13} And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. ¹⁴ Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor^(N) and your winepress. Give to them as the Lord your God has blessed you. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves^(O) in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you.^(P) That is why I give you this command today.

¹⁶ But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, ¹⁷ then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant.

¹⁸ Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.

Israel Has Not Returned to God

⁵ “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,^(A) adulterers^(B) and perjurers,^(C) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,^(D) who oppress the widows^(E) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners^(F) among you of justice, but do not fear^(G) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

¹⁸ For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[a](A) and “The worker deserves his wages.”^[b](B)