Through the Bible – Day 68

₁Suppose a woman was divorced by her first husband because he found something disgraceful about her. He wrote out divorce papers, gave them to her, and sent her away. ₂Later she married another man, ₃who then either divorced her in the same way or died. ₄Since she has slept with her second husband, she cannot marry her first husband again. Their marriage would pollute the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and he would be disgusted.

₅If a man and a woman have been married less than one year, he must not be sent off to war or sent away to do forced labour. He must be allowed to stay home for a year and be happy with his wife.

₆When you lend money to people, you are allowed to keep something of theirs as a guarantee that they will pay back the loan. But don't take one or both of their millstones, or else they may starve. They need these stones for grinding grain into flour to make bread.

₇If you are guilty of kidnapping Israelites and forcing them into slavery, you will be put to death to remove this evil from the community.

₈I have told the priests what to do if any of you have leprosy, so do exactly what they say. ₉And remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam after you left Egypt.

₁₀When you lend money to people, you are allowed to keep something of theirs as a guarantee that the money will be paid back. But you must not go into their house to get it. ₁₁Wait outside, and they will bring out the item you have agreed on.

₁₂Suppose someone is so poor that a coat is the only thing that can be offered as a guarantee on a loan. Don't keep the coat overnight. ₁₃Instead, give it back before sunset, so the owner can keep warm and sleep and ask the LORD to bless you. Then the LORD your God will notice that you have done the right thing.

₁₄If you hire poor people to work for you, don't hold back their pay, whether they are Israelites or foreigners who live in your town. ₁₅Pay them their wages at the end of each day, because they live in poverty and need the money to survive. If you don't pay them on time, they will complain about you to the LORD, and he will punish you.

₁₆Parents must not be put to death for crimes committed by their children, and children must not be put to death for crimes committed by their parents. Don't put anyone to death for someone else's crime.

₁₇Make sure that orphans and foreigners are treated fairly. And if you lend money to a widow and want to keep something of hers to guarantee that she will pay you back, don't take any of her clothes. ₁₈You were slaves in Egypt until the LORD your God rescued you. That's why I am giving you these laws.

₁₉If you forget to bring in a stack of harvested grain, don't go back in the field to get it. Leave it for the poor, including foreigners, orphans, and widows, and the LORD will make you successful in everything you do.

₂₀When you harvest your olives, don't try to get them all for yourself, but leave some for the poor. ₂₁And when you pick your grapes, go over the vines only once, then let the poor have what is left. ₂₂You lived in poverty as slaves in Egypt until the LORD your God rescued you. That's why I am giving you these laws.

_1-2Suppose you and someone else each accuse the other of doing something wrong, and you go to court, where the judges decide you are guilty. If your punishment is to be beaten with a whip, one of the judges will order you to lie down, and you will receive the number of lashes you deserve. ₃Forty lashes is the most that you can be given, because more than that might make other Israelites think you are worthless.

₄Don't muzzle an ox while it is threshing grain.

_5-6Suppose two brothers are living on the same property, when one of them dies without having a son to carry on his name. If this happens, his widow must not marry anyone outside the family. Instead, she must marry her late husband's brother, and their first son will be the legal son of the dead man.

₇But suppose the brother refuses to marry the widow. She must go to a meeting of the town leaders at the town gate and say, “My husband died without having a son to carry on his name. And my husband's brother refuses to marry me so I can have a son.”

₈The leaders will call the living brother to the town gate and try to persuade him to marry the widow. But if he doesn't change his mind and marry her, ₉she must go over to him while the town leaders watch. She will pull off one of his sandals and spit in his face, while saying, “That's what happens to a man who won't help provide descendants for his dead brother.” ₁₀From then on, that man's family will be known as “the family of the man whose sandal was pulled off”.

₁₁If two men are fighting, and the wife of one man tries to rescue her husband by grabbing the other man's private parts, ₁₂you must cut off her hand. Don't have any mercy.

_13-14Don't try to cheat people by having two sets of weights or measures, one to get more when you are buying, and the other to give less when you are selling. ₁₅If you weigh and measure things honestly, the LORD your God will let you enjoy a long life in the land he is giving you. ₁₆But the LORD is disgusted with anyone who cheats or is dishonest.

₁₇People of Israel, do you remember what the Amalekites did to you after you came out of Egypt? ₁₈You were tired, and they followed along behind, attacking those who could not keep up with the others. This showed that the Amalekites have no respect for God.

₁₉The LORD your God will help you capture the land, and he will give you peace. But when that day comes, you must wipe out Amalek so completely that no one will remember they ever lived.

₁The LORD is giving you the land, and soon you will conquer it, settle down, ₂and plant crops. And when you begin harvesting each of your crops, the very first things you pick must be put in a basket. Take them to the place where the LORD your God chooses to be worshipped, ₃and tell the priest, “Long ago the LORD our God promised our ancestors that he would give us this land. And today, I thank him for keeping his promise and giving me a share of the land.”

₄The priest will take the basket and set it in front of the LORD's altar. ₅Then, standing there in front of the place of worship, you must pray:

After you say these things, place the basket in front of the LORD's altar and bow down to worship him.

₁₁Then you and your family must celebrate by eating a meal at the place of worship to thank the LORD your God for giving you such a good harvest. And remember to invite the Levites and the foreigners who live in your town.

₁₂Every year you are to give ten per cent of your harvest to the LORD. But every third year, this ten per cent must be given to the poor who live in your town, including Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows. That way, they will have enough to eat. ₁₃Then you must pray:

₁₆Today the LORD your God has commanded you to obey these laws and teachings with all your heart and soul.

₁₇In response, you have agreed that the LORD will be your God, that you will obey all his laws and teachings, and that you will listen when he speaks to you.

₁₈Since you have agreed to obey the LORD, he has agreed that you will be his people and that you will belong to him, just as he promised. ₁₉The LORD created all nations, but he will make you more famous than any of them, and you will receive more praise and honour. You will belong only to the LORD your God, just as he promised.

₃₂The disciples were confused as Jesus led them towards Jerusalem, and his other followers were afraid. Once again, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and told them what was going to happen to him. He said:

₃₅James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, will you do us a favour?”

₃₆Jesus asked them what they wanted, ₃₇and they answered, “When you come into your glory, please let one of us sit at your right side and the other at your left.”

₃₈Jesus told them, “You don't really know what you're asking! Are you able to drink from the cup that I must soon drink from or be baptized as I must be baptized?”

₃₉“Yes, we are!” James and John answered.

Then Jesus replied, “You certainly will drink from the cup from which I must drink. And you will be baptized just as I must! ₄₀But it isn't for me to say who will sit at my right side and at my left. That is for God to decide.”

₄₁When the ten other disciples heard this, they were angry with James and John. ₄₂But Jesus called the disciples together and said:

₄₆Jesus and his disciples went to Jericho. And as they were leaving, they were followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar called Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting beside the road. ₄₇When he heard that it was Jesus from Nazareth, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” ₄₈Many people told the man to stop, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”

₄₉Jesus stopped and said, “Call him over!”

They called out to the blind man and said, “Don't be afraid! Come on! He is calling for you.” ₅₀The man threw off his coat as he jumped up and ran to Jesus.

₅₁Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man answered, “Master, I want to see!”

₅₂Jesus told him, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.”

Straight away the man could see, and he went down the road with Jesus.