Social Responsibility

16 “If a man seduces a virginq who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price,r and she shall be his wife. 17 If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

18 “Do not allow a sorceresss to live.

19 “Anyone who has sexual relations with an animalt is to be put to death.

20 “Whoever sacrifices to any godu other than the Lord must be destroyed.e v

21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner,w for you were foreignersx in Egypt.

22 “Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.y 23 If you do and they cry outz to me, I will certainly hear their cry.a 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.b

25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.c 26 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge,d return it by sunset, 27 because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?e When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.f

28 “Do not blaspheme Godf g or curseh the ruler of your people.i

29 “Do not hold back offeringsj from your granaries or your vats.g

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons.k 30 Do the same with your cattle and your sheep.l Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.m

31 “You are to be my holy people.n So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;o throw it to the dogs.

Laws of Justice and Mercy

23 “Do not spread false reports.p Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.q

2 “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justicer by siding with the crowd,s 3 and do not show favoritismt to a poor person in a lawsuit.

4 “If you come across your enemy’su ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it.v 5 If you see the donkeyw of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

6 “Do not deny justicex to your poor people in their lawsuits. 7 Have nothing to do with a false chargey and do not put an innocentz or honest person to death,a for I will not acquit the guilty.b

8 “Do not accept a bribe,c for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

9 “Do not oppress a foreigner;d you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.