2
"Tell Aaron and his sons to treat the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate to me with reverence so they won't desecrate my holy name. I am God.
3
"Tell them, From now on, if any of your descendants approaches in a state of ritual uncleanness the holy offerings that the Israelites consecrate to God, he will be cut off from my presence. I am God.
4
"Each and every one of Aaron's descendants who has an infectious skin disease or a discharge may not eat any of the holy offerings until he is clean. Also, if he touches anything defiled by a corpse, or has an emission of semen,
5
or is contaminated by touching a crawling creature, or touches a person who is contaminated for whatever reason
6
- a person who touches any such thing will be ritually unclean until evening and may not eat any of the holy offerings unless he has washed well with water.
7
After the sun goes down he is clean and may go ahead and eat the holy offerings; they are his food.
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.