Leviticus 18

(Matthew 5:27–30)

1Then the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872H559, 2“SpeakH1696 toH413 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 and tellH559 themH413: IH589 am the LORDH3068 your GodH430. 3You must not followH3808H6213 the practicesH4639 of the landH776 of EgyptH4714, whereH834 you used to liveH3427, and you must not follow the practicesH4639 of the landH776 of CanaanH3667, into whichH834 IH589 am bringing youH935. You mustH6213 notH3808 walkH1980 in their customsH2708H3808.

4

You are to practiceH6213 My judgmentsH4941 and keepH8104 My statutesH2708 by walkingH1980 in them. IH589 am the LORDH3068 your GodH430. 5KeepH8104 My statutesH2708 andH853 My judgmentsH4941, for the manH120 who does these thingsH6213 will liveH2421 by them.1 IH589 am the LORDH3068.

6None ofH376H413 you are to approachH7126 anyH3605 close relativeH7607H1320 to have sexual relationsH1540H6172.2 IH589 am the LORDH3068.

7You must notH3808 expose the nakednessH6172 of your fatherH1 by having sexual relations withH1540 your motherH517. SheH1931 is your motherH517; you must notH3808 have sexual relations with herH1540H6172.

8You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH6172H1540 your father’sH1 wifeH802; itH1931 would dishonorH6172 your fatherH1.

9You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH1540H6172 your sisterH269, either your father’sH1 daughterH1323 orH176H1323 your mother’s daughterH517, whether she was bornH4138 in the same homeH1004 orH176 elsewhereH2351.

10You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH1540H6172 your son’sH1121 daughterH1323 orH176 your daughter’sH1323 daughterH1323, forH3588 thatH2007 would shame your familyH6172.

11You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH6172H1540 the daughterH1323 of your father’sH1 wifeH802, bornH4138 to your fatherH1; sheH1931 is your sisterH269.

12You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH6172H1540 your father’sH1 sisterH269; sheH1931 is your father’sH1 close relativeH7607.

13You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH6172H1540 your mother’sH517 sisterH269, forH3588 sheH1931 is your mother’sH517 close relativeH7607.

14You must not dishonorH3808 your father’sH1 brotherH251 by approachingH7126 his wifeH802 to have sexual relations with herH1540H6172; sheH1931 is your auntH1733.

15You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH6172H1540 your daughter-in-lawH3618. SheH1931 is your son’sH1121 wifeH802; you are notH3808 to have sexual relations with herH1540H6172.

16You must notH3808 have sexual relations withH6172H1540 your brother’sH251 wifeH802; thatH1931 would shameH6172 your brotherH251.

17You must notH3808 have sexual relations with bothH6172H1540 a womanH802 and her daughterH1323. You are notH3808 to marryH3947 her son’sH1121 daughterH1323 or her daughter’sH1323 daughterH1323 and have sexual relations with herH1540H6172. TheyH2007 are close relativesH7608; itH1931 is depravedH2154.

18You must notH3808 takeH3947 your wife’sH802 sisterH269 as a rival wifeH6887 and have sexual relations with herH1540H6172 while your wife is still aliveH2416.

19

You must notH3808 approachH7126 a womanH802 to have sexual relations with herH1540H6172 during her menstrual periodH5079H2932.

20You must notH3808 lieH5414 carnallyH7903H2233 withH413 your neighbor’sH5997 wifeH802 and thus defile yourselfH2930 with her.

21You must notH3808 giveH5414 any of your childrenH2233 to be sacrificedH56743 to MolechH4432, for you must notH3808 profaneH2490 the nameH8034 of your GodH430. IH589 am the LORDH3068.

22You must notH3808 lieH7901 withH853 a manH2145 as withH4904 a womanH802; thatH1931 is an abominationH8441.

23You must notH3808 lieH5414 carnallyH7903 with anyH3605 animalH929, thus defiling yourselfH2930 with it; a womanH802 must notH3808 standH5975 beforeH6440 an animalH929 to mate with itH7250; thatH1931 is a perversionH8397.

24Do notH408 defileH2930 yourselves by anyH3605 of these practicesH428, forH3588 by allH3605 these thingsH428 the nationsH1471 IH589 am driving outH7971 before youH6440 have defiled themselvesH2930. 25Even the landH776 has become defiledH2930, so I am punishing itH6485 for its sinH5771, and the landH776H5921 will vomit outH6958 itsH853 inhabitantsH3427.

26But youH859 are to keepH8104 My statutesH2708 and ordinancesH4941, and you must notH3808 commitH6213 anyH3605 of theseH428 abominationsH8441—neither your native-bornH249 nor the foreignerH1616 who livesH1481 among youH8432. 27ForH3588 the menH582 who were in the landH776 before youH6440 committedH6213 allH3605 theseH411 abominationsH8441, and the landH776 has become defiledH2930. 28So if you defileH2930 the landH776H3808, it will vomit you outH6958 asH834 it spewed outH6958 the nationsH1471 before youH6440.

29ThereforeH3588 anyoneH3605 whoH834 commitsH6213 anyH3605 of theseH428 abominationsH8441 must be cut offH3772H5315H6213 from amongH7130 his peopleH5971. 30You must keepH8104 My chargeH4931 notH1115 to practiceH6213 any of the abominableH8441 customsH2708 thatH834 were practicedH6213 before youH6440, so that you do notH3808 defile yourselvesH2930 by them. IH589 am the LORDH3068 your GodH430.”