22“Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely.*21:22 Or so she has a miscarriage; Hebrew reads so her children come out. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve.
26“If a man hits his male or female slave in the eye and the eye is blinded, he must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye.
28“If an ox*21:28 Or bull, or cow; also in 21:29-36. gores a man or woman to death, the ox must be stoned, and its flesh may not be eaten. In such a case, however, the owner will not be held liable.
31“The same regulation applies if the ox gores a boy or a girl.
33“Suppose someone digs or uncovers a pit and fails to cover it, and then an ox or a donkey falls into it.
35“If someone’s ox injures a neighbor’s ox and the injured ox dies, then the two owners must sell the live ox and divide the price equally between them. They must also divide the dead animal.
Exodus 22
Protection of Property
1*22:1a Verse 22:1 is numbered 21:37 in Hebrew text.“If someone steals an ox*22:1b Or bull, or cow; also in 22:4, 9, 10. or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen.
2*22:2 Verses 22:2-31 are numbered 22:1-30 in Hebrew text.“If a thief is caught in the act of breaking into a house and is struck and killed in the process, the person who killed the thief is not guilty of murder.
“A thief who is caught must pay in full for everything he stole. If he cannot pay, he must be sold as a slave to pay for his theft.
5“If an animal is grazing in a field or vineyard and the owner lets it stray into someone else’s field to graze, then the animal’s owner must pay compensation from the best of his own grain or grapes.
6“If you are burning thornbushes and the fire gets out of control and spreads into another person’s field, destroying the sheaves or the uncut grain or the whole crop, the one who started the fire must pay for the lost crop.
7“Suppose someone leaves money or goods with a neighbor for safekeeping, and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house. If the thief is caught, the compensation is double the value of what was stolen.
9“Suppose there is a dispute between two people who both claim to own a particular ox, donkey, sheep, article of clothing, or any lost property. Both parties must come before God, and the person whom God declares*22:9 Or before the judges, and the person whom the judges declare. guilty must pay double compensation to the other.
10“Now suppose someone leaves a donkey, ox, sheep, or any other animal with a neighbor for safekeeping, but it dies or is injured or is taken away, and no one sees what happened.
14“If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it is injured or dies when the owner is absent, the person who borrowed it must pay full compensation.
Social Responsibility
16“If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her.
18“You must not allow a sorceress to live.
19“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must certainly be put to death.
20“Anyone who sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.*22:20 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering.
21“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.
22“You must not exploit a widow or an orphan.
25“If you lend money to any of my people who are in need, do not charge interest as a money lender would.
28“You must not dishonor God or curse any of your rulers.
29“You must not hold anything back when you give me offerings from your crops and your wine.
“You must give me your firstborn sons.
30“You must also give me the firstborn of your cattle, sheep, and goats. But leave the newborn animal with its mother for seven days; then give it to me on the eighth day.
31“You must be my holy people. Therefore, do not eat any animal that has been torn up and killed by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs.
Exodus 23
A Call for Justice
1“You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand.
2“You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice.
4“If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner.
6“In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.
7“Be sure never to charge anyone falsely with evil. Never sentence an innocent or blameless person to death, for I never declare a guilty person to be innocent.
8“Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the truth.
9“You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.
10“Plant and harvest your crops for six years,
12“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed.
13“Pay close attention to all my instructions. You must not call on the name of any other gods. Do not even speak their names.
Matthew 24
Jesus Speaks about the Future
1As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings.
3Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?*24:3 Or the age?”
4Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,
9“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.*24:9 Greek on account of my name.
15“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration*24:15 Greek the abomination of desolation. See Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!)
23“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it.
26“So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it!
Psalm 29
A psalm of David.
1Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings*29:1 Hebrew you sons of God.;
honor the Lord for his glory and strength.
2Honor the Lord for the glory of his name.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
3The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
4The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
he makes Mount Hermon*29:6 Hebrew Sirion, another name for Mount Hermon. leap like a young wild ox.
7The voice of the Lord strikes
with bolts of lightning.
8The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness quake;
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks*29:9 Or causes the deer to writhe in labor.
and strips the forests bare.
In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”
10The Lord rules over the floodwaters.
The Lord reigns as king forever.
11The Lord gives his people strength.
The Lord blesses them with peace.
6While I was at the window of my house,
looking through the curtain,
7I saw some naive young men,
and one in particular who lacked common sense.
8He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,
strolling down the path by her house.
9It was at twilight, in the evening,
as deep darkness fell.
10The woman approached him,
seductively dressed and sly of heart.
11She was the brash, rebellious type,
never content to stay at home.
12She is often in the streets and markets,
soliciting at every corner.
13She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
and with a brazen look she said,
14“I’ve just made my peace offerings
and fulfilled my vows.
15You’re the one I was looking for!
I came out to find you, and here you are!
16My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
19for my husband is not home.
He’s away on a long trip.
20He has taken a wallet full of money with him
and won’t return until later this month.*7:20 Hebrew until the moon is full.”
21So she seduced him with her pretty speech
and enticed him with her flattery.
22He followed her at once,
like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,*7:22 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads slaughter, as shackles are for the discipline of a fool.
23awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.
He was like a bird flying into a snare,
little knowing it would cost him his life.