Old Testament

New Testament

Deuteronomy 23:2-15 Good News Bible (GNB)

2. “No one born out of wedlock or any descendant of such a person, even in the tenth generation, may be included among the Lord's people.

3. “No Ammonite or Moabite — or any of their descendants, even in the tenth generation — may be included among the Lord's people.

4. They refused to provide you with food and water when you were on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor, from the city of Pethor in Mesopotamia, to curse you.

5. But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead he turned the curse into a blessing, because he loved you.

6. As long as you are a nation, never do anything to help these nations or to make them prosperous.

7. “Do not despise the Edomites; they are your relatives. And do not despise the Egyptians; you once lived in their land.

8. From the third generation onward their descendants may be included among the Lord's people.

9. “When you are in camp in time of war, you are to avoid anything that would make you ritually unclean.

10. If a man becomes unclean because he has had a wet dream during the night, he is to go outside the camp and stay there.

11. Towards evening he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may come back into camp.

12. “You are to have a place outside the camp where you can go when you need to relieve yourselves.

13. Carry a stick as part of your equipment, so that when you have a bowel movement you can dig a hole and cover it up.

14. Keep your camp ritually clean, because the Lord your God is with you in your camp to protect you and to give you victory over your enemies. Do not do anything indecent that would cause the Lord to turn his back on you.

15. “If a slave runs away from his or her owner and comes to you for protection, do not send them back.

Read complete chapter Deuteronomy 23