Leviticus

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

1The LORD spoke to Moses. He said:

2Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.

2Tell Aaron and his sons, the priests who serve me, to be careful. They must handle the holy gifts with great care. The people of Israel set those gifts apart for me. The priests must not treat my holy name like a common thing. I am the LORD.

3Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.

3Say this to them. Someone in your family, now or later, may be unclean. Unclean means not ready to come near holy things. If that person comes to the holy gifts anyway, he must be sent away from me. I am the LORD.

4What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;

4A man from Aaron's family may have a bad skin disease. Or his body may be leaking fluid. Then he must not eat the holy food until he is clean. The same is true if he touches anything made unclean by a dead body. It is also true for a man whose body has let out seed.

NoteThe KJV word "leper" covers many kinds of skin disease. It does not mean only the illness we call leprosy today.

5Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;

5It is also true if he touches a small crawling animal that makes him unclean. And it is true if he touches a person who makes him unclean in any way.

6The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

6Anyone who touches such things is unclean until evening. He must not eat the holy food unless he washes his body with water.

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

7When the sun goes down, he is clean again. Then he may eat the holy food. It is the food God gave him.

8That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.

8He must not eat an animal that died by itself. He must not eat one that wild animals tore apart. Eating it would make him unclean. I am the LORD.

9They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

9So the priests must keep my rule. If they treat it as common, they will carry the guilt and die. I am the LORD, and I make them holy.

10There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

10No one outside a priest's family may eat the holy food. A guest staying with a priest may not eat it. A worker the priest pays may not eat it.

Note"Stranger" here means anyone outside the priest's family. It does not mean someone unkind or scary.

11But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.

11But a priest may buy a servant with his own money. That servant may eat the priest's food. So may a servant born in the priest's house.

NoteIn the KJV, "meat" means food of any kind. It does not only mean meat from animals.

12If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

12A priest's daughter may marry a man who is not a priest. Then she may not eat any of the holy gifts.

13But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.

13But suppose she has no child, and her husband dies or leaves her. If she comes back to her father's house, she may eat his food. She may eat it as she did when she was a girl. No one outside the family may eat it.

14And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.

14Someone may eat holy food by mistake, not knowing what it was. He must bring food to the priest to replace it. He must add one fifth more.

15And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD;

15The priests must not treat Israel's holy gifts like common things. The people bring those gifts to the LORD.

16Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

16They must not let the people eat the holy food and become guilty. I am the LORD, and I make them holy.

17And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

17The LORD spoke to Moses. He said:

18Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;

18Tell Aaron, his sons, and all the people of Israel this. Someone may bring a gift to be burned up for the LORD. He may be from Israel or a foreigner living there. He may bring it to keep a promise, or just because he wants to.

19Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

19The animal must be a male with nothing wrong with it. It may be a cow, a sheep, or a goat. Then the gift will be accepted for you.

NoteThe KJV says "at your own will," which sounds like a free choice. The words really mean "so it will be accepted for you."

20But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

20Do not bring an animal that has something wrong with it. Such a gift will not be accepted for you.

21And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

21Someone may bring a peace offering to keep a promise, or as a free gift. It may come from his cattle or his sheep. The animal must be perfect, with nothing wrong with it. Then it will be accepted.

22Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.

22Do not bring an animal that is blind, hurt, or missing a part. Do not bring one with a lump, an open sore, or scabs. Do not put animals like these on the altar. The altar is the table where gifts were burned for the LORD.

23Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

23A young bull or a lamb may have a leg too long or too short. You may still bring it as a free gift. But it will not be accepted for keeping a promise.

24Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.

24Do not bring the LORD an animal whose private parts are bruised, crushed, torn, or cut. Do not offer animals like that anywhere in your land.

25Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

25Do not take animals like these from a foreigner and offer them as food for your God. Something is wrong with them. They will not be accepted for you.

26And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

26The LORD spoke to Moses. He said:

27When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

27When a calf, a lamb, or a young goat is born, leave it with its mother. It must stay with her for seven days. From the eighth day on, you may give it as a gift burned up for the LORD.

28And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.

28Do not kill a cow and her young on the same day. Do not do that with a sheep either.

29And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.

29You may bring a gift to say thank you to the LORD. Offer it the right way, so it is accepted for you.

30On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.

30Eat all of it the same day. Do not leave any of it until morning. I am the LORD.

31Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.

31So keep my commands and do what they say. I am the LORD.

32Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you,

32Do not treat my holy name like a common thing. The people of Israel must honor me as holy. I am the LORD, and I make you holy.

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

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