Leviticus Chapter 18
Showing all 30 verses for Leviticus Chapter 18.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, "
"The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:"
God speaks to Moses again, continuing to shape a people who will live differently, marked by more than just outward rules. Jesus wants your life to be shaped by an ongoing relationship with Him, not a one-time instruction you file away and forget.
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. "
"Speak to the Israelites and tell them: I am the LORD your God."
Before any instruction is given, God simply reminds them who He is - their God, present and personal. Jesus wants you to know Him first, as someone who loves you personally, before anything else about how to live even makes sense.
"After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"You must not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you; do not follow their customs."
The people are called to be different from both the culture they came from and the one they're entering - identity rooted in God, not simply absorbed from surroundings. Jesus calls you to let your identity be shaped by Him rather than simply mirroring whatever culture happens to surround you.
"Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. "
"You must follow my laws and keep my regulations, living by them: I am the LORD your God."
God calls for obedience rooted in relationship, not fear - His guidance is for a people who already know Him as their LORD. Jesus wants your obedience to flow from love and trust in who He is, not from anxious rule-keeping.
"Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. "
"Keep my statutes and my regulations; anyone who does this will live by them. I am the LORD."
God's instructions are given as a path to life, not a burden - following them well leads to genuine flourishing. Jesus wants you to see His guidance not as restriction, but as the way towards the fullest, richest life available to you.
"None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD. "
"None of you may approach a close relative to have sexual relations with them: I am the LORD."
God sets a boundary protecting the trust and safety within families - close relationships meant for care are never to become places of exploitation. Jesus deeply values the safety and dignity of every person, especially within the family bonds meant to protect them, and grieves whenever trust like that is betrayed.
"The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your father, and do not have sexual relations with your mother; she is your mother — do not have relations with her."
The most foundational family bond, between parent and child, is protected from violation - the place meant to be safest must never become a place of harm. Jesus honours the parent-child bond as sacred, and calls you to protect the vulnerable within your own family rather than ever exploiting the trust placed in you.
"The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would violate your father."
The boundary extends even to a father's wife, honouring the marriage bond and the trust it carries within the family. Jesus honours every marriage covenant as sacred, calling you to protect rather than intrude upon the commitments others have made.
"The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your sister, whether she's your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether raised in the same household or elsewhere; do not have relations with her."
Sibling relationships, too, are protected as bonds of care rather than exploitation - family is meant to be a place of safety for everyone in it. Jesus wants your family relationships to be marked by protective love, where every member, especially the most vulnerable, can feel genuinely safe.
"The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter; that would be exposing your own nakedness."
Even generational bonds, grandparent to grandchild, are protected - showing this isn't about a narrow rule but a whole vision of family as a safe place across every generation. Jesus's vision for family reaches across every generation, wanting each one to be a place where the vulnerable are protected, never used.
"The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. "
"Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father's wife, fathered by your father; she is your sister — do not have relations with her."
Even a step-sibling relationship, formed through a parent's marriage, is honoured with the same protective boundary as any other sibling bond. Jesus's care for family purity doesn't shrink around technicalities; He wants every relationship within a household treated with the same integrity.
"Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your father's sister — your aunt; she is your father's close relative."
An aunt is protected in the same way - the boundary extends generously to cover every close relationship where trust and care, not desire, should define the bond. Jesus wants every relationship of trust in your life to remain exactly that: a place of safety, not something twisted into harm.
"Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your mother's sister — your aunt; she is your mother's close relative."
The same protection extends to a mother's sister, showing consistency and fairness in how the boundary applies across the whole extended family. Jesus applies the same standard of protective love consistently to everyone in your life, without exceptions carved out for convenience.
"Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your father's brother's wife by approaching your uncle's wife; she is your aunt."
An uncle's wife is likewise protected, honouring the trust that holds an extended family together. Jesus cares about the trust that holds your wider family and community together, not just your closest relationships.
"Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son's wife — do not have relations with her."
A daughter-in-law is protected as family, her dignity honoured rather than treated as available. Jesus calls you to see every member of your extended family as someone to protect and honour, never as someone whose boundaries can be overlooked.
"Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your brother's wife; that would violate your brother."
A brother's wife is protected too, the marriage bond honoured even within the closest family circle. Jesus wants loyalty and respect between siblings to include honouring each other's marriages, never undermining what another has committed to.
"Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness. "
"Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter, and do not take her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter to have relations with them — they are her close relatives; that is depraved."
God calls it wickedness to exploit multiple generations of the same family - naming plainly how seriously such betrayal of trust matters to Him. Jesus takes the exploitation of the vulnerable with complete seriousness, and calls you to that same clear-eyed protection of those who trust you.
"Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. "
"Do not marry a woman as a rival to her sister while the first sister is still alive, creating jealousy between them by having relations with both."
Marrying a sister as a rival wife is forbidden specifically because it would create vexation and rivalry rather than peace - God cares about the wellbeing of the relationship, not just the technical arrangement. Jesus wants your relationships to be marked by peace and care for the other person's heart, never structured in a way that causes needless rivalry or pain.
"Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. "
"Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations with her while she is separated during her menstrual period."
This boundary echoes the earlier call to honour a woman's natural bodily rhythms with patience and respect rather than disregard. Jesus calls you to treat others' bodies and needs with patience and consideration, never disregarding their wellbeing for your own convenience.
"Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her. "
"Do not have sexual relations with your neighbour's wife, defiling yourself with her."
Faithfulness to one's own commitments and respect for another's marriage protects trust at the heart of community life. Jesus calls you to guard the trust others have placed in their marriages, protecting rather than threatening the commitments that hold families together.
"And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. "
"Do not give any of your children to be passed through the fire to Molech, and do not dishonour the name of your God in this way: I am the LORD."
God forbids the horrifying practice of child sacrifice, naming it a profaning of His own name - He is fiercely protective of the most vulnerable and defenceless among us. Jesus's heart burns with fierce love for children and the vulnerable; He calls you to protect them fearlessly, never to let harm come to them for any cause.
"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. "
"Do not have sexual relations with a man as with a woman; it is detestable."
Within this whole chapter's concern for the sacredness and integrity of sexual relationships, God calls His people towards the pattern of intimacy He designed at creation. Jesus meets every person, whatever their story or struggle, with the same compassion and welcome He showed everyone who came to Him honestly, calling all people towards wholeness without contempt or condemnation for anyone.
"Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. "
"Do not have sexual relations with any animal, defiling yourself with it; and no woman may present herself to an animal to mate with it — that is a perversion."
This boundary calls people back to the dignity and order intimacy was designed to have, treating something sacred with the seriousness it deserves. Jesus calls you towards wholeness and dignity in every part of life, valuing the created order without contempt for anyone caught in confusion or struggle.
"Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: "
"Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because the nations I am driving out ahead of you became defiled by all these things."
God calls His people not to be defiled the way other nations were, not out of superiority, but out of a desire for something better for them. Jesus doesn't call you to holiness to make you feel superior to anyone, but because He genuinely wants better for your life than what harms you.
"And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. "
"The land itself became defiled, so I am punishing it for its wrongdoing, and the land is vomiting out its inhabitants."
Even the land itself is described as affected by injustice and harm - God's concern for right living reaches beyond individuals into the wellbeing of the whole community and place. Jesus cares about the wider impact of how people live together, wanting communities and places to flourish, not merely individuals in isolation.
"Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: "
"You must therefore keep my statutes and regulations, and not commit any of these detestable acts — neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you."
The same standard applies equally to native and stranger alike - no double standard, and no exception carved out because of where someone came from. Jesus holds the same loving standard for everyone equally, welcoming outsiders into the same call to flourishing as anyone else.
"(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) "
"Because the people of the land before you did all these detestable things, and the land became defiled."
God names honestly what happened before, without excusing it, so that His people can genuinely learn rather than repeat the same harm. Jesus is honest with you about where things have gone wrong before, not to shame you, but so you can genuinely learn and choose differently.
"That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. "
"So that the land does not vomit you out too, for defiling it, just as it vomited out the nations that were there before you."
God warns that the same consequences could follow if the pattern repeats - not spite, but a real, natural outcome of how harmful living unravels a community. Jesus wants to spare you the real, natural pain that follows harmful choices, warning you out of love rather than a desire to punish.
"For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. "
"Because anyone who commits any of these detestable acts will be cut off from among their people."
Serious harm carries serious consequence - God takes the protection of the vulnerable seriously enough to name real weight to violating it. Jesus takes seriously anything that genuinely harms another person; His gentleness with the struggling never means indifference towards real harm done to others.
"Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God. "
"Therefore keep my instructions, and do not practise any of these detestable customs that were practised before you arrived, and do not defile yourselves through them: I am the LORD your God."
The chapter closes as it began, with God simply reminding them who He is - the LORD their God, present and personal, whose instructions flow from relationship and genuine care. Jesus wants every boundary and every call towards better living to be received not as cold command, but as coming from someone who loves you and knows what's genuinely good for you.