23
"'They are to teach my people the difference between holy and common and enable them to distinguish between clean and unclean.
24
They are to be judges in controversies, and they are to render decisions in keeping with my rulings. At all my designated festivals they are to keep my laws and regulations, and they are to keep my shabbats holy.
25
They are not to come to any dead person, because this would make them unclean; however, for father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister who has had no husband they may make themselves unclean.
26
After a cohen has been purified, he is to wait seven days.
27
Then, on the day he enters the sanctuary, when he goes into the inner courtyard to minister in the sanctuary, he is to offer his sin offering,' says Adonai ELOHIM.
28
"'Their inheritance is to be this: I myself am their inheritance. You are not to grant them any possession in Isra'el - I myself am their possession.
29
They are to eat the grain offerings, sin offerings and guilt offerings; and everything in Isra'el devoted [to God] will be theirs.
30
The first of all the firstfruits of everything, and every voluntary contribution of everything, from all your offerings, will be for the cohanim. You are also to give the cohen the first of your dough, so that a blessing will rest on your house.
31
The cohanim are not to eat anything, bird or animal, that dies naturally or is torn to death.