Old Testament

New Testament

Deuteronomy 23:6-21 Good News Bible (GNB)

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.

16. They may live in any of your towns that they choose, and you are not to treat them harshly.

17. “No Israelite, man or woman, is to become a temple prostitute.

18. Also, no money earned in this way may be brought into the house of the Lord your God in fulfilment of a vow. The Lord hates temple prostitutes.

19. “When you lend money or food or anything else to a fellow-Israelite, do not charge him interest.

20. You may charge interest on what you lend to a foreigner, but not on what you lend to a fellow-Israelite. Obey this rule, and the Lord your God will bless everything you do in the land that you are going to occupy.

21. “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not put off doing what you promised; the Lord will hold you to your vow, and it is a sin not to keep it.

Read complete chapter Deuteronomy 23