New Revised Standard NRS
The Message Bible MSG
1 When someone steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, the thief shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. The thief shall make restitution, but if unable to do so, shall be sold for the theft.
1
"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 beaten to death, no bloodguilt is incurred;
2
If the thief is caught while breaking in and is hit hard and dies, there is no bloodguilt.
3 but if it happens after sunrise, bloodguilt is incurred.
3
But if it happens after daybreak, there is bloodguilt.
4 When the animal, whether ox or donkey or sheep, is found alive in the thief's possession, the thief shall pay double.
4
If caught red-handed with the stolen goods, and the ox or donkey or lamb is still alive, the thief pays double.
5 When someone causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets livestock loose to graze in someone else's field, restitution shall be made from the best in the owner's field or vineyard.
5
"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 When fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, the one who started the fire shall make full restitution.
6
"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 When someone delivers to a neighbor money or goods for safekeeping, and they are stolen from the neighbor's house, then the thief, if caught, shall pay double.
7
"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 caught, the owner of the house shall be brought before God, to determine whether or not the owner had laid hands on the neighbor's goods.
8
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 In any case of disputed ownership involving ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any other loss, of which one party says, "This is mine," the case of both parties shall come before God; the one whom God condemns shall pay double to the other.
9
"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 When someone delivers to another a donkey, ox, sheep, or any other animal for safekeeping, and it dies or is injured or is carried off, without anyone seeing it,
10
"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 before the Lord shall decide between the two of them that the one has not laid hands on the property of the other; the owner shall accept the oath, and no restitution shall be made.
11
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 was stolen, restitution shall be made to its owner.
12
But if it turns out it was stolen, the owner must be compensated.
13 If it was mangled by beasts, let it be brought as evidence; restitution shall not be made for the mangled remains.
13
If it has been torn by wild beasts, the torn animal must be brought in as evidence; no damages have to be paid.
14 When someone borrows an animal from another and it is injured or dies, the owner not being present, full restitution shall be made.
14
"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 present, there shall be no restitution; if it was hired, only the hiring fee is due.
15
But if the owner was with it, he doesn't have to pay. If the animal was hired, the payment covers the loss.
16 When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married, and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
16
"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 But if her father refuses to give her to him, he shall pay an amount equal to the bride-price for virgins.
17
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 female sorcerer to live.
18
"Don't let a sorceress live.
19 Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.
19
"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.
20
"Anyone who sacrifices to a god other than God alone must be put to death.
21 You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
21
"Don't abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.
22 You shall not abuse any widow or orphan.
22
"Don't mistreat widows or orphans.
23 If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry;
23
If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I'll take them most seriously;
24 my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans.
24
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 my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them.
25
"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 you take your neighbor's cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down;
26
"If you take your neighbor's coat as security, give it back before nightfall;
27 for it may be your neighbor's only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbor cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.
27
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, or curse a leader of your people.
28
"Don't curse God; and don't damn your leaders.
29 You shall not delay to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me.
29
"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 remain with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
30
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 people consecrated to me; therefore you shall not eat any meat that is mangled by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.
31
"Be holy for my sake. "Don't eat mutilated flesh you find in the fields; throw it to the dogs.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.