English Standard Version ESV
The Message Bible MSG
1 "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
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"If someone steals an ox or a lamb and slaughters or sells it, the thief must pay five cattle in place of the ox and four sheep in place of the lamb.
2 If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him,
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If the thief is caught while breaking in and is hit hard and dies, there is no bloodguilt.
3 but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
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But if it happens after daybreak, there is bloodguilt.
4 If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.
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If caught red-handed with the stolen goods, and the ox or donkey or lamb is still alive, the thief pays double.
5 "If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard.
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"If someone grazes livestock in a field or vineyard but lets them loose so they graze in someone else's field, restitution must be made from the best of the owner's field or vineyard.
6 "If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.
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"If fire breaks out and spreads to the brush so that the sheaves of grain or the standing grain or even the whole field is burned up, whoever started the fire must pay for the damages.
7 "If a man gives to his neighbor money or goods to keep safe, and it is stolen from the man's house, then, if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
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"If someone gives a neighbor money or things for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor's house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double.
8 If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property.
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If the thief is not caught, the owner must be brought before God to determine whether the owner was the one who took the neighbor's goods.
9 For every breach of trust, whether it is for an ox, for a donkey, for a sheep, for a cloak, or for any kind of lost thing, of which one says, 'This is it,' the case of both parties shall come before God. The one whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
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"In all cases of stolen goods, whether oxen, donkeys, sheep, clothing, anything in fact missing of which someone says, 'That's mine,' both parties must come before the judges. The one the judges pronounce guilty must pay double to the other.
10 "If a man gives to his neighbor a donkey or an ox or a sheep or any beast to keep safe, and it dies or is injured or is driven away, without anyone seeing it,
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"If someone gives a donkey or ox or lamb or any kind of animal to another for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or lost and there is no witness,
11 an oath by the LORD shall be between them both to see whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property. The owner shall accept the oath, and he shall not make restitution.
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an oath before God must be made between them to decide whether one has laid hands on the property of the other. The owner must accept this and no damages are assessed.
12 But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.
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But if it turns out it was stolen, the owner must be compensated.
13 If it is torn by beasts, let him bring it as evidence. He shall not make restitution for what has been torn.
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If it has been torn by wild beasts, the torn animal must be brought in as evidence; no damages have to be paid.
14 "If a man borrows anything of his neighbor, and it is injured or dies, the owner not being with it, he shall make full restitution.
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"If someone borrows an animal from a neighbor and it gets injured or dies while the owner is not present, he must pay for it.
15 If the owner was with it, he shall not make restitution; if it was hired, it came for its hiring fee.
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But if the owner was with it, he doesn't have to pay. If the animal was hired, the payment covers the loss.
16 "If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
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"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the marriage price and marry her.
17 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.
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If her father absolutely refuses to give her away, the man must still pay the marriage price for virgins.
18 "You shall not permit a sorceress to live.
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"Don't let a sorceress live.
19 "Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.
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"Anyone who has sex with an animal gets the death penalty.
20 "Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.
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"Anyone who sacrifices to a god other than God alone must be put to death.
21 "You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.
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"Don't abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.
22 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
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"Don't mistreat widows or orphans.
23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,
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If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I'll take them most seriously;
24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.
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I'll show my anger and come raging among you with the sword, and your wives will end up widows and your children orphans.
25 "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.
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"If you lend money to my people, to any of the down-and-out among you, don't come down hard on them and gouge them with interest.
26 If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down,
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"If you take your neighbor's coat as security, give it back before nightfall;
27 for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
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it may be your neighbor's only covering - what else does the person have to sleep in? And if I hear the neighbor crying out from the cold, I'll step in - I'm compassionate.
28 "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
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"Don't curse God; and don't damn your leaders.
29 "You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.
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"Don't be stingy as your wine vats fill up.
30 You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
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The same with your cattle and sheep - they are to stay for seven days with their mother, then give them to me.
31 "You shall be consecrated to me. Therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
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"Be holy for my sake. "Don't eat mutilated flesh you find in the fields; throw it to the dogs.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
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.