Deuteronomy 19; Deuteronomy 20; Deuteronomy 21; Mark 13:21-37

Deuteronomy 19

1 When the Lord thy God hath destroyed the nations, whose land he will deliver to thee, and thou shalt possess it, and shalt dwell in the cities and houses thereof:

2 Thou shalt separate to thee three cities in the midst of the land, which the Lord will give thee in possession,

3 Paving diligently the way: and thou shalt divide the whole province of thy land equally into three parts: that he who is forced to flee for manslaughter, may have near at hand whither to escape.

4 This shall be the law of the slayer that fleeth, whose life is to be saved: He that killeth his neighbor ignorantly, and who is proved to have had no hatred against him yesterday and the day before:

5 But to have gone with him to the wood to hew wood, and in cutting down the tree the axe slipped out of his hand, and the iron slipping from the handle struck his friend, and killed him: he shall flee to one of the cities aforesaid, and live:

6 Lest perhaps the next kinsman of him whose blood was shed, pushed on by his grief should pursue, and apprehend him, if the way be too long, and take away the life of him who is not guilty of death, because he is proved to have had no hatred before against him that was slain.

7 Therefore I command thee, that thou separate three cities at equal distance one from another.

8 And when the Lord thy God shall have enlarged thy borders, as he swore to the fathers, and shall give thee all the land that he promised them,

9 (Yet so, if thou keep his commandments, and do the things which I command thee this day, that thou love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways at all times) thou shalt add to thee other three cities, and shalt double the number of the three cities aforesaid:

10 That innocent blood may not be shed in the midst of the land which the Lord thy God will give thee to possess, lest thou be guilty of blood.

11 But if any man hating his neighbour, lie in wait for his life, and rise and strike him, and he die, and he flee to one of the cities aforesaid,

12 The ancients of his city shall send, and take him out of the place of refuge, and shall deliver him into the hand of the kinsman of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die.

13 Thou shalt not pity him, and thou shalt take away the guilt of innocent blood out of Israel, that it may be well with thee.

14 Thou shalt not take nor remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which thy predecessors have set in thy possession, which the Lord thy God will give thee in the land that thou shalt receive to possess.

15 One witness shall not rise up against any man, whatsoever the sin or wickedness be: but in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand.

16 If a lying witness stand against a man, accusing him of transgression,

17 Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days.

18 And when after most diligent inquisition, they shall find that the false witness hath told a lie against his brother:

19 They shall render to him as he meant to do to his brother, and thou shalt take away the evil out of the midst of thee:

20 That others hearing may fear, and may not dare to do such things.

21 Thou shalt not pity him, but shalt require life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deuteronomy 20

1 If thou go out to war against thy enemies, and see horsemen and chariots, and the numbers of the enemy’s army greater than thine, thou shalt not fear them: because the Lord thy God is with thee, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

2 And when the battle is now at hand, the priest shall stand before the army, and shall speak to the people in this manner:

3 Hear, O Israel, you join battle this day against your enemies, let not your heart be dismayed, be not afraid, do not give back, fear ye them not:

4 Because the Lord your God is in the midst of you, and will fight for you against your enemies, to deliver you from danger.

5 And the captains shall proclaim through every band in the hearing of the army: What man is there, that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.

6 What man is there, that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not as yet made it to be common, whereof all men may eat? let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man execute his office.

7 What man is there, that hath espoused a wife, and not taken her? let him go, and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her.

8 After these things are declared they shall add the rest, and shall speak to the people: What man is there that is fearful, and faint hearted? let him go, and return to his house, lest he make the hearts of his brethren to fear, as he himself is possessed with fear.

9 And when the captains of the army shall hold their peace, and have made an end of speaking, every man shall prepare their bands to fight.

10 If at any time thou come to fight against a city, thou shalt first offer it peace.

11 If they receive it, and open the gates to thee, all the people that are therein, shall be saved, and shall serve thee paying tribute.

12 But if they will not make peace, and shall begin war against thee, thou shalt besiege it.

13 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver it into thy hands, thou shalt slay all that are therein of the male sex, with the edge of the sword,

14 Excepting women and children, cattle and other things, that are in the city. And thou shalt divide all the prey to the army, and thou shalt eat the spoils of thy enemies, which the Lord thy God shall give thee.

15 So shalt thou do to all cities that are at a great distance from thee, and are not of these cities which thou shalt receive in possession.

16 But of those cities that shall be given thee, thou shalt suffer none at all to live:

17 But shalt kill them with the edge of the sword, to wit, the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee:

18 Lest they teach you to do all the abominations which they have done to their gods: and you should sin against the Lord your God.

19 When thou hast besieged a city a long time, and hath compassed it with bulwarks, to take it, thou shalt not cut down the trees that may be eaten of, neither shalt thou spoil the country round about with axes: for it is a tree, and not a man, neither can it increase the number of them that fight against thee.

20 But if there be any trees that are not fruitful, but wild, and fit for other uses, cut them down, and make engines, until thou take the city, which fighteth against thee.

Deuteronomy 21

1 When there shall be found in the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee, the corpse of a man slain, and it is not known who is guilty of the murder,

2 Thy ancients and judges shall go out, and shall measure from the place where the body lieth the distance of every city round about:

3 And the ancients of that city which they shall perceive to be nearer than the rest, shall take a heifer of the herd, that hath not drawn in the yoke, nor ploughed the ground,

4 And they shall bring her into a rough and stony valley, that never was ploughed, nor sown: and there they shall strike off the head of the heifer:

5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come, whom the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister to him, and to bless in his name, and that by their word every matter should be decided, and whatsoever is clean or unclean should be judged.

6 And the ancients of that city shall come to the person slain, and shall wash their hands over the heifer that was killed in the valley,

7 And shall say: Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it.

8 Be merciful to thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, O Lord, and lay not innocent blood to their charge, in the midst of thy people Israel. And the guilt of blood shall be taken from them:

9 And thou shalt be free from the innocent’s blood, that was shed, when thou shalt have done what the Lord hath commanded thee.

10 If thou go out to fight against thy enemies, and the Lord thy God deliver them into thy hand, and thou lead them away captives,

11 And seest in the number of the captives a beautiful woman, and lovest her, and wilt have her to wife,

12 Thou shalt bring her into thy house: and she shall shave her hair, and pare her nails,

13 And shall put off the raiment, wherein she was taken: and shall remain in thy house, and mourn for her father and mother one month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and shalt sleep with her, and she shall be thy wife.

14 But if afterwards she please thee not, thou shalt let her go free, but thou mayst not sell her for money nor oppress her by might because thou hast humbled her.

15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and the other hated, and they have had children by him, and the son of the hated be the firstborn,

16 And he meaneth to divide his substance among his sons: he may not make the son of the beloved the firstborn, and prefer him before the son of the hated.

17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, and shall give him a double portion of all he hath: for this is the first of his children, and to him are due the first birthrights.

18 If a man have a stubborn and unruly son, who will not hear the commandments of his father or mother, and being corrected, slighteth obedience:

19 They shall take him and bring him to the ancients of the city, and to the gate of judgment,

20 And shall say to them: This our son is rebellious and stubborn, he slighteth hearing our admonitions, he giveth himself to revelling, and to debauchery and banquetings:

21 The people of the city shall stone him: and he shall die, that you may take away the evil out of the midst of you, and all Israel hearing it may be afraid.

22 When a man hath committed a crime for which he is to be punished with death, and being condemned to die is hanged on a gibbet:

23 His body shall not remain upon the tree, but shall be buried the same day: for he is accursed of God that hangeth on a tree: and thou shalt not defile thy land, which the Lord thy God shall give thee in possession.

Mark 13:21-37

21 And then if any man shall say to you: Lo, here is Christ. Lo, he is here: do not believe.

22 For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets: and they shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce (if it were possible) even the elect.

23 Take you heed therefore: behold, I have foretold you all things.

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light.

25 And the stars of heaven shall be falling down and the powers that are in heaven shall be moved.

26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory.

27 And then shall he send his angels and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

28 Now of the fig tree learn ye a parable. When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves are come forth, you know that summer is very near.

29 So you also when you shall see these things come to pass, know ye that it is very nigh, even at the doors.

30 Amen, I say to you that this generation shall not pass until all these things be done.

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my word shall not pass away.

32 But of that day or hour no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray. For ye know not when the time is.

34 Even as a man who, going into a far country, left his house and gave authority to his servants over every work and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore (for you know not when the lord of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning):

36 Lest coming on a sudden, he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch.