Leviticus
Summary
Leviticus Chapter 19 is a comprehensive summary of what it means to live a holy life, blending vertical duty to God with horizontal care for one's neighbour. It repeats the command to "be holy, because I am holy," and applies it to every aspect of life: from social justice and honest business to respect for parents and the elderly. The chapter includes the fundamental command to "love your neighbour as yourself." It explicitly protects the poor, the deaf, and the blind, showing that true holiness is not just about ritual purity, but about active compassion and integrity in every corner of society.
The LORD said to Moses,
"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.
“‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the LORD your God.
Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the LORD your God.
When you sacrifice a peace offering to the LORD, offer it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.
It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.
If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.
Anyone who eats it will be held responsible because they have profaned what is holy to the LORD.
“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.
“‘Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.
Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
“‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbour. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.
“‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.
Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbour’s life. I am the LORD.
Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbour frankly so you will not share in their guilt.
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.
Keep my decrees. Do not mate different kinds of animals, do not plant your field with two kinds of seed, and do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.
If a man has sexual relations with a slave girl promised to another man but not yet ransomed, there shall be an investigation, but they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting as a guilt offering to the LORD.
The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are onto eat it.
In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.
In the fifth year you may eat its fruit; in this way your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.
Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. Do not practise divination or seek omens.
Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip the edges of your beard.
Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD.
Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.
Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.
Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
“‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.
“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not ill-treat them.
The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.
Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.
Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the LORD.