Open English Translation LEV Chapter 18

18 Then Yahweh told Mosheh:

2 Tell the Israeli that I am their god Yahweh. 3 They mustn’t behave as if they’re still there in Egypt, nor should they behave like the Caananites that were living in the land that I’m taking you all into, and don’t emulate their customs and practices. 4 You all must imbibe my values and follow my instructions. I am your god Yahweh. 5 You all must follow my instructions and my values—those who do so will live. I am your god Yahweh.[ref]

6 None of you may ever flirt with any close relative to try to get them to undress. I am Yahweh. 7 You must never mess with your father’s naked body, or your mother’s—no, she’s your mother so don’t ever take advantage of her nakedness. 8 Don’t ever mess with any of your father’s wives, because their naked bodies are the realm of your father.[ref] 9 Don’t flirt with your sister’s nakedness, whether she’s a full sister, a half sister, or an adopted sister.[ref] 10 Don’t flirt with your grandchildren’s nakedness, because you’d be absolutely shaming yourself. 11 Don’t flirt with your step-sister’s nakedness, because she’s your sister and her nakedness isn’t yours to enjoy. 12 Don’t flirt with your aunts nakedness on your father’s side, because she’s closely related to your father.[ref] 13 Don’t flirt with your aunt’s nakedness on your mother’s side, because she’s closely related to your mother. 14 Don’t flirt with your uncle’s nakedness on your father’s side, and keep away from his wife, because she’s your aunt. 15 Don’t flirt with your daughter-in-law’s nakedness, because she’s your son’s wife and her nakedness isn’t yours to enjoy.[ref] 16 Don’t flirt with your sister-in-law, because her naked body is the realm of your brother.[ref] 17 Don’t flirt with the nakedness of both a woman and her daughter or her granddaughter, because they’re related to each other—that would be perverse.[ref] 18 Don’t take your wife’s sister to be a junior wife while your wife is still alive.

19 Don’t approach a woman who’s menstruating, to undress her, because she’s ‘unclean’.[ref] 20 Don’t sleep with someone else’s wife—your child with her would be ‘unclean’.[ref] 21 Don’t sacrifice your children to Molek so you don’t profane your god’s reputation. I am Yahweh.[ref] 22 Don’t have sexual relations with a man like with a woman—it’s an abomination.[ref] 23 Men, don’t have sexual relations with any animal as that would make you ‘unclean’. And women, don’t give yourself sexually to any animal as that’s perverse.[ref]

24 Don’t make yourselves ‘unclean’ in any of the above ways, because all of those things were done by the people groups that I’m driving out of this land ahead of you all. 25 The land had become ‘unclean’ so I made them pay for their wickedness and so the land will vomit out its inhabitants. 26 However, you all must obey my instructions and decisions and not tolerate any of that perverse behaviour—not you who are native-born, nor any foreigner living among you all, 27 because all that perversity was done by those living there before you all, and the land became ‘unclean’. 28 Don’t think that the land won’t vomit you all out just like it’s doing to the people groups that have been there before you, 29 because everyone who does any of those perversities will be cut off from their community. 30 So you all must carefully guard against practising any of those detestable customs which were previously done there and which would make you all ‘unclean’. I am your god Yahweh.