Leviticus

Chapter 18

1 Yahweh said to Moses ,

2 " Speak to the children of Israel , and say to them , ‘ I am Yahweh your God .

3 You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt , where you lived . You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan , where I am bringing you . You shall not follow their statutes .

4 You shall do my ordinances . You shall keep my statutes and walk in them . I am Yahweh your God .

5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances , which if a man does , he shall live in them . I am Yahweh .

6 "‘ None of you shall approach any close relatives , to uncover their nakedness : I am Yahweh .

7 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness .

8 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness .

9 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad .

10 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son ’s daughter , or of your daughter ’s daughter , even their nakedness ; for theirs is your own nakedness .

11 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter , conceived by your father, since she is your sister.

12 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kinswoman .

13 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kinswoman .

14 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother. You shall not approach his wife . She is your aunt .

15 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law . She is your son ’s wife. You shall not uncover her nakedness .

16 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s nakedness .

17 "‘ You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter . You shall not take her son ’s daughter , or her daughter ’s daughter , to uncover her nakedness . They are near kinswomen . It is wickedness .

18 "‘ You shall not take a wife in addition to her sister, to be a rival , to uncover her nakedness , while her sister is still alive .

19 "‘ You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness , as long as she is impure by her uncleanness .

20 "‘ You shall not lie carnally with your neighbor ’s wife, and defile yourself with her .

21 "‘ You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech . You shall not profane the name of your God . I am Yahweh .

22 "‘ You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable .

23 "‘ You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it . No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it : it is a perversion .

24 "‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things ; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled .

25 The land was defiled . Therefore I punished its iniquity , and the land vomited out her inhabitants .

26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances , and shall not do any of these abominations ; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you

27 ( for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations , and the land became defiled ),

28 that the land not vomit you out also , when you defile it , as it vomited out the nation that was before you .

29 "‘ For whoever shall do any of these abominations , even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people .

30 Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you , and that you do not defile yourselves with them . I am Yahweh your God .’"