26
Don't do anything to the girl; she did nothing wrong. This is similar to the case of a man who comes across his neighbor out in the country and murders him;
24
take both of them to the town gate and stone them until they die - the girl because she didn't yell out for help in the town and the man because he raped her, violating the fiancŽe of his neighbor. You must purge the evil from among you.
25
But if it was out in the country that the man found the engaged girl and grabbed and raped her, only the man is to die, the man who raped her.
26
Don't do anything to the girl; she did nothing wrong. This is similar to the case of a man who comes across his neighbor out in the country and murders him;
27
when the engaged girl yelled out for help, there was no one around to hear or help her.
28
When a man comes upon a virgin who has never been engaged and grabs and rapes her and they are found out,
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.