Leviticus 1:1-5:6
The Lord called to Moses from the Tabernacle and said to him,“ Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present an animal as an offering to the Lord, you may take it from your herd of cattle or your flock of sheep and goats.“ If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be a male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the Lord.Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him.Then slaughter the young bull in the Lord’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will present the animal’s blood by splattering it against all sides of the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tabernacle.Then skin the animal and cut it into pieces.The sons of Aaron the priest will build a wood fire on the altar.They will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar.But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.“ If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the flock, it may be either a sheep or a goat, but it must be a male with no defects.Slaughter the animal on the north side of the altar in the Lord’s presence, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar.Then cut the animal in pieces, and the priests will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar.But the internal organs and the legs must first be washed with water. Then the priest will burn the entire sacrifice on the altar as a burnt offering. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.“ If you present a bird as a burnt offering to the Lord, choose either a turtledove or a young pigeon.The priest will take the bird to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar. But first he must drain its blood against the side of the altar.The priest must also remove the crop and the feathers and throw them in the ashes on the east side of the altar.Then, grasping the bird by its wings, the priest will tear the bird open, but without tearing it apart. Then he will burn it as a burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.“ When you present grain as an offering to the Lord, the offering must consist of choice flour. You are to pour olive oil on it, sprinkle it with frankincense,and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this representative portion on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.The rest of the grain offering will then be given to Aaron and his sons. This offering will be considered a most holy part of the special gifts presented to the Lord.“ If your offering is a grain offering baked in an oven, it must be made of choice flour, but without any yeast. It may be presented in the form of thin cakes mixed with olive oil or wafers spread with olive oil.If your grain offering is cooked on a griddle, it must be made of choice flour mixed with olive oil but without any yeast.Break it in pieces and pour olive oil on it; it is a grain offering.If your grain offering is prepared in a pan, it must be made of choice flour and olive oil.“ No matter how a grain offering for the Lord has been prepared, bring it to the priest, who will present it at the altar.The priest will take a representative portion of the grain offering and burn it on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.The rest of the grain offering will then be given to Aaron and his sons as their food. This offering will be considered a most holy part of the special gifts presented to the Lord.“ Do not use yeast in preparing any of the grain offerings you present to the Lord, because no yeast or honey may be burned as a special gift presented to the Lord.You may add yeast and honey to an offering of the first crops of your harvest, but these must never be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord.Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings.“ If you present a grain offering to the Lord from the first portion of your harvest, bring fresh grain that is coarsely ground and roasted on a fire.Put olive oil on this grain offering, and sprinkle it with frankincense.The priest will take a representative portion of the grain moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn it as a special gift presented to the Lord.“ If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects.Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar.The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs,the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys,and Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.“ If you present an animal from the flock as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects.If you present a sheep as your offering, bring it to the Lord,lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the sheep’s blood against all sides of the altar.The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes the fat of the broad tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat around the internal organs,the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys,and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the Lord.“ If you present a goat as your offering, bring it to the Lord,lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the goat’s blood against all sides of the altar.The priest must present part of this offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs,the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys,and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.“ You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation, wherever you live.”Then the Lord said to Moses,“ Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. This is how you are to deal with those who sin unintentionally by doing anything that violates one of the Lord’s commands.“ If the high priest sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the Lord a young bull with no defects.He must bring the bull to the Lord at the entrance of the Tabernacle, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the Lord.The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle,dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the inner curtain of the sanctuary.The priest will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the Lord’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle.Then the priest must remove all the fat of the bull to be offered as a sin offering. This includes all the fat around the internal organs,the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. He must remove these along with the kidneys,just as he does with cattle offered as a peace offering, and burn them on the altar of burnt offerings.But he must take whatever is left of the bull— its hide, meat, head, legs, internal organs, and dung—and carry it away to a place outside the camp that is ceremonially clean, the place where the ashes are dumped. There, on the ash heap, he will burn it on a wood fire.“ If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but the people don’t realize it, they are still guilty.When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle.The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before the Lord.The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle,dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord in front of the inner curtain.He will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the Lord’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle.Then the priest must remove all the animal’s fat and burn it on the altar,just as he does with the bull offered as a sin offering for the high priest. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven.Then the priest must take what is left of the bull and carry it outside the camp and burn it there, just as is done with the sin offering for the high priest. This offering is for the sin of the entire congregation of Israel.“ If one of Israel’s leaders sins by violating one of the commands of the Lord his God but doesn’t realize it, he is still guilty.When he becomes aware of his sin, he must bring as his offering a male goat with no defects.He must lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered before the Lord. This is an offering for his sin.Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood of the sin offering and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.Then he must burn all the goat’s fat on the altar, just as he does with the peace offering. Through this process, the priest will purify the leader from his sin, making him right with the Lord, and he will be forgiven.“ If any of the common people sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but they don’t realize it, they are still guilty.When they become aware of their sin, they must bring as an offering for their sin a female goat with no defects.They must lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered.Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.Then he must remove all the goat’s fat, just as he does with the fat of the peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar, and it will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven.“ If the people bring a sheep as their sin offering, it must be a female with no defects.They must lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered.Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood of the sin offering and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.Then he must remove all the sheep’s fat, just as he does with the fat of a sheep presented as a peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar on top of the special gifts presented to the Lord. Through this process, the priest will purify the people from their sin, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven.“ If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin.“ Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that is ceremonially unclean, such as the carcass of an unclean animal. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your defilement and your guilt. This is true whether it is a wild animal, a domestic animal, or an animal that scurries along the ground.“ Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that makes a person unclean. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your guilt.“ Or suppose you make a foolish vow of any kind, whether its purpose is for good or for bad. When you realize its foolishness, you must admit your guilt.“ When you become aware of your guilt in any of these ways, you must confess your sin.Then you must bring to the Lord as the penalty for your sin a female from the flock, either a sheep or a goat. This is a sin offering with which the priest will purify you from your sin, making you right with the Lord.