Leviticus 25:35-55

35‘1Now in case a 2countryman of yours becomes poor and his 3means with regard to you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. 364Do not take 5usurious interest from him, but revere your God, that your 6countryman may live with you. 37You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food for gain. 387I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and 8to be your God.

39‘9If a 10countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. 40He shall be with you as a hired man, as 11if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee. 41He shall then go out from you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, that he may return to the property of his forefathers. 42For they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt; they are not to be sold in a slave sale. 4312You shall not rule over him with severity, but are to revere your God. 44As for your male and female slaves whom you may have--you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. 45Then, too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have 13produced in your land; they also may become your possession. 46You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. 14But in respect to your 15countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another.

47‘Now if the 16means of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient, and a 17countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourning with you, or to the descendants of a stranger’s family, 48then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, 49or his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or one of his blood relatives from his family may redeem him; or 1819if he prospers, he may redeem himself. 50He then with his purchaser shall calculate from the year when he sold himself to him up to the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall correspond to the number of years. It is like the days of a hired man that he shall be with him. 51If there are still many years, 20he shall refund part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption; 52and if few years remain until the year of jubilee, he shall so calculate with him. In proportion to his years he is to refund the amount for his redemption. 53Like a man hired year by year he shall be with him; 21he shall not rule over him with severity in your sight. 54Even if he is not redeemed by 22these means, 23he shall still go out in the year of jubilee, he and his sons with him. 55For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.