²“Tell the people of Israel to celebrate the Passover Feast. Have them do it at the appointed time. ³Celebrate it when the sun goes down on the 14th day of this month. Obey all of its rules and laws.”

⁴So Moses told the people of Israel to celebrate the Passover Feast. ⁵They did it in the Desert of Sinai. They celebrated it when the sun went down on the 14th day of the first month. The people of Israel did everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

⁶But some of them couldn’t celebrate the Passover Feast on that day. That’s because they weren’t “clean.” They had gone near a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron that same day. ⁷They said to Moses, “We went near a dead body. So we aren’t ‘clean.’ But why should we be kept from bringing the Lord’s offering at the appointed time? Why shouldn’t we bring it along with the other people of Israel?”

⁸Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord wants you to do.”

⁹Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, ¹⁰“Tell the people of Israel, ‘Suppose any of you or your children are not “clean” because you have gone near a dead body. Or suppose you are away on a journey. You can still celebrate the Lord’s Passover.

¹¹“ ‘I want you to celebrate it on the 14th day of the second month. You have to do it when the sun goes down. You have to eat the lamb together with bread that is made without yeast. Eat it with bitter plants. ¹²Do not leave any of it until morning. Do not break any of its bones. When you celebrate the Passover Feast, follow all of the rules.

¹³“ ‘But suppose a man is “clean.” He is not on a journey. And he fails to celebrate the Passover Feast. Then he must be cut off from the community of Israel. He did not bring the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. He will be punished for his sin.

¹⁴“ ‘What if there is an outsider living among you? And what if he wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover? Then he must obey its rules and laws. You must have the same laws for outsiders as you do for the people of Israel.’ ”

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