Leviticus 18 :: New International Version (NIV)

Unlawful Sexual Relations

Lev 18:1The LORD said to Moses,

Lev 18:2“Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the LORD your God.

Lev 18:3You must not do as they do in 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 practices.

Lev 18:4

Lev 18:4You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God.

Lev 18:5

Lev 18:5Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.

Lev 18:6

Lev 18:6“ ‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD.

Lev 18:7

Lev 18:7“ ‘Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

Lev 18:8

Lev 18:8“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonor your father.

Lev 18:9

Lev 18:9“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.

Lev 18:10

Lev 18:10“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

Lev 18:11

Lev 18:11“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

Lev 18:12

Lev 18:12“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.

Lev 18:13

Lev 18:13“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she is your mother’s close relative.

Lev 18:14

Lev 18:14“ ‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.

Lev 18:15

Lev 18:15“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.

Lev 18:16

Lev 18:16“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonor your brother.

Lev 18:17

Lev 18:17“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

Lev 18:18

Lev 18:18“ ‘Do not take your wife’s sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

Lev 18:19

Lev 18:19“ ‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.

Lev 18:20

Lev 18:20“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her.

Lev 18:21

Lev 18:21“ ‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Lev 18:22

Lev 18:22“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.

Lev 18:23

Lev 18:23“ ‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.

Lev 18:24

Lev 18:24“ ‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled.

Lev 18:25

Lev 18:25Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.

Lev 18:26

Lev 18:26But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things,

Lev 18:27

Lev 18:27for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled.

Lev 18:28

Lev 18:28And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

Lev 18:29

Lev 18:29“ ‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people.

Lev 18:30

Lev 18:30Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.’ ”

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