Leviticus 25:35-55

35‘1Now in case a countryman of yours becomes poor and his 2means among you falter, then you are to sustain him, like a stranger or a resident, so that he may live with you. 363Do not take 4any kind of interest from him, but 5fear your God, so that your countryman may live with you. 37You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food 6for profit. 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‘Now 9if a countryman 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 worker, 10as if he were a foreign resident; he shall serve with you up to the year of jubilee. 41He shall then leave you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, so 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. 4311You shall not rule over him with 12severity, 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. 45You may also acquire them from the sons of the foreign residents who reside among you, and from their families who are with you, whom they will have produced in your land; they also may become your possession. 46You may also pass them on as an inheritance to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. 13But in respect to your countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with 14severity over one another.

47‘Now if the 15means of a stranger or of a foreign resident with you becomes sufficient, and a countryman of yours becomes poor in relation to him and sells himself to a stranger who is residing 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 1617if 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 calculated. It is like the days of a hired worker that he will be with him. 51If there are still many years remaining, 18he shall refund part of his purchase price in proportion to them for his own redemption; 52but 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. 53He shall be with him like a worker hired year by year; 19he shall not rule over him with 20severity in your sight. 54Even if he is not redeemed by 21these means, 22he shall still leave 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.