LEVITICUS 20

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On Human Sacrifice and Immoralities  20:1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “You shall also say to the sons of Israel:
    ‘Any man from the sons of Israel or from the aliens sojourning in Israel who gives any of his offspring to Molech, shall surely be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his offspring to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name. 4 If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his offspring to Molech, so as not to put him to death, 5 then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the harlot after him, by playing the harlot after Molech.
    6 ‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. 7 You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. 8 You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
    9 ‘If there is anyone who curses his father or his mother, he shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother, his bloodguiltiness is upon him.
    10 ‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. 11 If there is a man who lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 12 If there is a man who lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have committed incest, their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 13 If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them. 14 If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is immorality; both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no immorality in your midst. 15 If there is a man who lies with an animal, he shall surely be put to death; you shall also kill the animal. 16 If there is a woman who approaches any animal to mate with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltiness is upon them.
    17 ‘If there is a man who takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace; and they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he bears his guilt. 18 If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has exposed the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 19 You shall also not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for such a one has made naked his blood relative; they will bear their guilt. 20 If there is a man who lies with his uncle’s wife he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they will bear their sin. They will die childless. 21 If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is abhorrent; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless.
    22 ‘You are therefore to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them, so that the land to which I am bringing you to live will not spew you out. 23 Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them. 24 Hence I have said to you, “You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples. 25 You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean. 26 Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.
    27 ‘Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness is upon them.’”

LEVITICUS 21

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Regulations concerning Priests  21:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:
    ‘No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his people, 2 except for his relatives who are nearest to him, his mother and his father and his son and his daughter and his brother, 3 also for his virgin sister, who is near to him because she has had no husband; for her he may defile himself. 4 He shall not defile himself as a relative by marriage among his people, and so profane himself. 5 They shall not make any baldness on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts in their flesh. 6 They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings by fire to the LORD, the food of their God; so they shall be holy. 7 They shall not take a woman who is profaned by harlotry, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for he is holy to his God. 8 You shall consecrate him, therefore, for he offers the food of your God; he shall be holy to you; for I the LORD, who sanctifies you, am holy. 9 Also the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by harlotry, she profanes her father; she shall be burned with fire.
    10 ‘The priest who is the highest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes; 11 nor shall he approach any dead person, nor defile himself even for his father or his mother; 12 nor shall he go out of the sanctuary nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is on him; I am the LORD. 13 He shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or one who is profaned by harlotry, these he may not take; but rather he is to marry a virgin of his own people, 15 so that he will not profane his offspring among his people; for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.’”
    16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Speak to Aaron, saying, ‘No man of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the food of his God. 18 For no one who has a defect shall approach: a blind man, or a lame man, or he who has a disfigured face, or any deformed limb, 19 or a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, 20 or a hunchback or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scabs or crushed testicles. 21 No man among the descendants of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to offer the LORD’S offerings by fire; since he has a defect, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God. 22 He may eat the food of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy, 23 only he shall not go in to the veil or come near the altar because he has a defect, so that he will not profane My sanctuaries. For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.’” 24 So Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel.

PROVERBS 21

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On Life and Conduct21:1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;

He turns it wherever He wishes.

2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes,

But the LORD weighs the hearts.

3 To do righteousness and justice

Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

The lamp of the wicked, is sin.

5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,

But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

6 The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue

Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.

7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,

Because they refuse to act with justice.

8 The way of a guilty man is crooked,

But as for the pure, his conduct is upright.

9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof

Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;

His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.

11 When the scoffer is punished, the naive becomes wise;

But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.

12 The righteous one considers the house of the wicked,

Turning the wicked to ruin.

13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor

Will also cry himself and not be answered.

14 A gift in secret subdues anger,

And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous,

But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

16 A man who wanders from the way of understanding

Will rest in the assembly of the dead.

17 He who loves pleasure will become a poor man;

He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.

18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

And the treacherous is in the place of the upright.

19 It is better to live in a desert land

Than with a contentious and vexing woman.

20 There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,

But a foolish man swallows it up.

21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty

Finds life, righteousness and honor.

22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty

And brings down the stronghold in which they trust.

23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue,

Guards his soul from troubles.

24 “Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names,

Who acts with insolent pride.

25 The desire of the sluggard puts him to death,

For his hands refuse to work;

26 All day long he is craving,

While the righteous gives and does not hold back.

27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination,

How much more when he brings it with evil intent!

28 A false witness will perish,

But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever.

29 A wicked man displays a bold face,

But as for the upright, he makes his way sure.

30 There is no wisdom and no understanding

And no counsel against the LORD.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle,

But victory belongs to the LORD.

PSALM 23

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The LORD, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.A Psalm of David.
23:1 The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

PSALM 24

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The King of Glory Entering Zion.A Psalm of David.
24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains,

The world, and those who dwell in it.

2 For He has founded it upon the seas

And established it upon the rivers.

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?

And who may stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood

And has not sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive a blessing from the LORD

And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of those who seek Him,

Who seek Your face--even Jacob. Selah.

7 Lift up your heads, O gates,

And be lifted up, O ancient doors,

That the King of glory may come in!

8 Who is the King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,

The LORD mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O gates,

And lift them up, O ancient doors,

That the King of glory may come in!

10 Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts,

He is the King of glory. Selah.