Deuteronomy 15

(Exodus 23:10–13; Leviticus 25:1–7)

1At the endH7093 of every sevenH7651 yearsH8141 you must cancel debtsH6213H8059. 2ThisH2088 is the mannerH1697 of remissionH8059: EveryH3605 creditorH1167H4874H3027 shall cancelH8058 whatH834 he has loanedH5383 to his neighborH7453. He is notH3808 to collectH5065 anythingH853 from his neighborH7453 or brotherH251, becauseH3588 the LORD’sH3068 time of releaseH8059 has been proclaimedH7121. 3You may collectH5065 something from a foreignerH5237, but you must forgiveH8058H3027 whateverH834 your brotherH251 owesH1961 youH854.

4There will beH1961 noH3808 poorH34 among you, howeverH657H3588, becauseH3588 the LORDH3068 will surely bless youH1288 in the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you to possessH3423 as an inheritanceH5159, 5ifH518 onlyH7535 you obeyH8085H6963 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 and are carefulH8104 to followH6213 allH3605 theseH2063 commandmentsH4687 IH595 am giving you todayH6680H3117. 6When the LORDH3068 your GodH430 blesses youH1288 asH834 He has promisedH1696, you will lendH5670 to manyH7227H859 nationsH1471 but borrowH5670 from noneH3808; you will ruleH4910 over manyH7227 nationsH1471 but be ruledH4910 by noneH3808.

Generosity in Lending and Giving

(Matthew 6:1–4)

7IfH3588 there isH1961 a poor manH34 among your brothersH251 within anyH259 of the gatesH8179 in the landH776 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 is givingH5414 you, then you are notH3808 to hardenH5531 your heartH3824 or shutH7092 your handH3027 from your poorH34 brotherH251. 8InsteadH3588, you are to openH6605 your handH3027 to him and freely loan himH5670 whateverH1767 he needsH4270.

9Be carefulH8104 not to harborH6435H1961 this wickedH1100H559 thoughtH1697 inH5973 your heartH3824: “The seventhH7651 yearH8141, the yearH8141 of releaseH8059, is nearH7126,” so that you look uponH5869 your poorH34 brotherH251 begrudginglyH7489 and give himH5414 nothingH3808. He will cry outH7121 toH413 the LORDH3068 against youH5921, and you will beH1961 guilty of sinH2399.

10Give generouslyH5414 to him, and do notH3808 let your heartH3824 be grievedH7489 when you do so. And because ofH1558H1697 thisH2088 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 will blessH1288 you in allH3605 your workH4639 and in everythingH3605 to which you putH4916 your handH3027. 11ForH3588 there will neverH3808 ceaseH2308 to be poorH34 inH7130 the landH776; that is whyH5921H3651 IH595 am commanding youH6680 toH559 openH6605 wideH6605 your handH3027 to your brotherH251 and to the poorH6041 and needyH34 in your landH776.

Hebrew Servants

(Exodus 21:1–11)

12IfH3588 a fellowH251 HebrewH5680, a man orH176 a womanH5680, is soldH43762 to you and serves youH5647 sixH8337 yearsH8141, then in the seventhH7637 yearH8141 you must set himH7971 freeH2670H5973.

13And whenH3588 you release himH7971H2670H5973, do notH3808 send him awayH7971 empty-handedH7387. 14You are to furnish him liberallyH6059 from your flockH6629, your threshing floorH1637, and your winepressH3342. You shall giveH5414 to him asH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 has blessed youH1288. 15RememberH2142 thatH3588 you wereH1961 slavesH5650 in the landH776 of EgyptH4714, and the LORDH3068 your GodH430 redeemed youH6299; that is whyH5921H3651 IH595 am givingH6680 youH853 thisH2088 commandH1697 todayH3117.

16

But ifH3588 your servant saysH559 to youH413, ‘I do notH3808 want to leaveH3318 youH5973,’ becauseH3588 he lovesH157 youH853 and your householdH1004 andH3588 is well offH2895 with youH5973, 17then takeH3947 an awlH4836 and pierceH5414 it through his earH241 into the doorH1817, and he will becomeH1961 your servantH5650 for lifeH5769. AndH637 treatH6213 your maidservantH519 the same wayH3651.

18Do notH3808 regard itH5869 as a hardshipH7185H5973 to setH7971 your servant freeH2670, becauseH3588 his sixH8337 yearsH8141 of serviceH5647 were worth twiceH4932 the wagesH7939 of a hired handH7916. And the LORDH3068 your GodH430 will bless youH1288 in allH3605 you doH6213.

Firstborn Animals

(Exodus 13:1–16)

19You must set apartH6942 to the LORDH3068 your GodH430 everyH3605 firstbornH1060 maleH2145 producedH3205 by your herdsH1241 and flocksH6629. You are notH3808 to put the firstbornH1060 of your oxenH7794 to workH5647, norH3808 are you to shearH1494 the firstbornH1060 of your flockH6629. 20Each yearH8141 youH859 and your householdH1004 are to eat itH398 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 in the placeH4725 the LORDH3068 will chooseH977.

21But ifH3588 an animal hasH1961 a defectH3971, is lameH6455 orH176 blindH5787, or has anyH3605 seriousH7451 flawH3971, you must notH3808 sacrificeH2076 it to the LORDH3068 your GodH430. 22Eat itH398 within your gatesH8179; bothH3162 the ceremonially uncleanH2931 and cleanH2889 may eat it as they would a gazelleH6643 or a deerH354. 23ButH7535 you must notH3808 eatH398 the bloodH1818; pourH8210 it onH5921 the groundH776 like waterH4325.