Leviticus 21:2   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

except for a close relative, such as his mother or father, his son or daughter, his brother,

Leviticus 21:3   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband-for her he may make himself unclean.

Leviticus 21:4   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself.

Leviticus 21:5   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

" 'Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies.

Leviticus 21:9   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

" 'If a priest's daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.

Leviticus 21:12   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

nor leave the sanctuary of his God or desecrate it, because he has been dedicated by the anointing oil of his God. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 21:15   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

so that he will not defile his offspring among his people. I am the Lord, who makes him holy.' "

Leviticus 21:16   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

The Lord said to Moses,

Leviticus 21:17   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

"Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.

Leviticus 21:20   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

or who is a hunchback or a dwarf, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.

Leviticus 21:23   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.' "

Leviticus 21:24   (Read all of Leviticus 21)

So Moses told this to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites.

Leviticus 22:1   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

The Lord said to Moses,

Leviticus 22:2   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

"Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 22:3   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

"Say to them: 'For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 22:4   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

" 'If a descendant of Aaron has a defiling skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen,

Leviticus 22:6   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.

Leviticus 22:7   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food.

Leviticus 22:8   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, and so become unclean through it. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 22:9   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

" 'The priests are to perform my service in such a way that they do not become guilty and die for treating it with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.

Leviticus 22:10   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

" 'No one outside a priest's family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it.

Leviticus 22:11   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food.

Leviticus 22:12   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

If a priest's daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions.

Leviticus 22:13   (Read all of Leviticus 22)

But if a priest's daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father's household as in her youth, she may eat her father's food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat it.