| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. | 1At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. |
| 2This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the LORD's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. | 2This is how to cancel debt: Every creditor is to cancel what he has lent his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD's release of debts has been proclaimed. |
| 3You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. | 3You may collect something from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you." |
| 4However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, | 4There will be no poor among you, however, because the LORD is certain to bless you in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance-- |
| 5if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. | 5if only you obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow every one of these commands I am giving you today. |
| 6For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. | 6When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised you, you will lend to many nations but not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you." |
| 7If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. | 7If there is a poor person among you, one of your brothers within any of your gates in the land the LORD your God is giving you, you must not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. |
| 8Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. | 8Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him enough for whatever need he has. |
| 9Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. | 9Be careful that there isn't this wicked thought in your heart, 'The seventh year, the year of canceling debts, is near,' and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty. |
| 10Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. | 10Give to him, and don't have a stingy heart when you give, and because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you do. |
| 11There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. | 11For there will never cease to be poor people in the land; that is why I am commanding you, 'You must willingly open your hand to your afflicted and poor brother in your land.'" |
| 12If any of your people--Hebrew men or women--sell themselves to you and serve you six years, in the seventh year you must let them go free. | 12If your fellow Hebrew, a man or woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, you must set him free in the seventh year. |
| 13And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed. | 13When you set him free, do not send him away empty-handed. |
| 14Supply them liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to them as the LORD your God has blessed you. | 14Give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You are to give him whatever the LORD your God has blessed you with. |
| 15Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today. | 15Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today. |
| 16But if your servant says to you, "I do not want to leave you," because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, | 16But if your slave says to you, 'I don't want to leave you,' because he loves you and your family, and is well off with you, |
| 17then take an awl and push it through his earlobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your female servant. | 17take an awl and pierce through his ear into the door, and he will become your slave for life. Also treat your female slave the same way. |
| 18Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do. | 18Do not regard it as a hardship when you set him free, because he worked for you six years--worth twice the wages of a hired hand. Then the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do." |
| 19Set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep. | 19You must consecrate to the LORD your God every firstborn male produced by your herd and flock. You are not to put the firstborn of your oxen to work or shear the firstborn of your flock. |
| 20Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose. | 20Each year you and your family are to eat it before the LORD your God in the place the LORD chooses. |
| 21If an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. | 21But if there is a defect in the animal, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. |
| 22You are to eat it in your own towns. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it, as if it were gazelle or deer. | 22Eat it within your gates; both the unclean person and the clean may eat it, as though it were a gazelle or deer. |
| 23But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. | 23But you must not eat its blood; pour it on the ground like water." |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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