Loyalty Tests and the Body's Unity

1. If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2. and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods” (which you have not known) “and let us serve them”; 3. you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or to that dreamer of dreams; for Yahweh your God is testing you, to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4. You shall walk after Yahweh your God, fear him, keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and you shall serve him, and cling to him. 5. That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to draw you aside out of the way which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk in. So you shall remove the evil from among you. 6. If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your friend, who is as your own soul, entices you secretly, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods,” which you have not known, you, nor your fathers; 7. of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near to you, or far off from you, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; 8. you shall not consent to him, nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him; 9. but you shall surely kill him. Your hand shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterwards the hands of all the people. 10. You shall stone him to death with stones, because he has sought to draw you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 11. All Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall not do any more wickedness like this among you. 12. If you shall hear about one of your cities, which Yahweh your God gives you to dwell there, that 13. certain wicked fellows have gone out from among you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods,” which you have not known; 14. then you shall inquire, and make search, and ask diligently. Behold, if it is true, and the thing certain, that such abomination was done among you, 15. you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, with all that is therein and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. 16. You shall gather all its plunder into the middle of its street, and shall burn with fire the city, and all of its plunder, to Yahweh your God. It shall be a heap forever. It shall not be built again. 17. Nothing of the devoted thing shall cling to your hand, that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he has sworn to your fathers; 18. when you listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to keep all his commandments which I command you today, to do that which is right in Yahweh your God’s eyes. 1. You are the children of Yahweh your God. You shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2. For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth. 3. You shall not eat any abominable thing. 4. These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5. the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the chamois. 6. Every animal that parts the hoof, and has the hoof cloven in two and chews the cud, among the animals, that may you eat. 7. Nevertheless these you shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of those who have the hoof cloven: the camel, the hare, and the rabbit. Because they chew the cud but don’t part the hoof, they are unclean to you. 8. The pig, because it has a split hoof but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat their meat, and you shall not touch their carcasses. 9. These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales may you eat. 10. You shall not eat whatever doesn’t have fins and scales. It is unclean to you. 11. Of all clean birds you may eat. 12. But these are they of which you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, 13. the red kite, the falcon, the kite after its kind, 14. every raven after its kind, 15. the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, the hawk after its kind, 16. the little owl, the great owl, the horned owl, 17. the pelican, the vulture, the cormorant, 18. the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. 19. All winged creeping things are unclean to you. They shall not be eaten. 20. Of all clean birds you may eat. 21. You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself. You may give it to the foreigner living among you who is within your gates, that he may eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk. 22. You shall surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes out of the field year by year. 23. You shall eat before Yahweh your God, in the place which he chooses, to cause his name to dwell there, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always. 24. If the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, because the place is too far from you, which Yahweh your God shall choose, to set his name there, when Yahweh your God shall bless you; 25. then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose. 26. You shall trade the money for whatever your soul desires, for cattle, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. 27. You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 28. At the end of every three years you shall bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall store it within your gates. 29. The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do. 1. At the end of every seven years, you shall cancel debts. 2. This is the way it shall be done: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not require payment from his neighbor and his brother; because Yahweh’s release has been proclaimed. 3. Of a foreigner you may require it; but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand shall release. 4. However there shall be no poor with you (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it) 5. if only you diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you today. 6. For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. You will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you. 7. If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; 8. but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks. 9. Beware that there not be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, “The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand”; and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you. 10. You shall surely give, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand to. 11. For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land. 12. If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, and serves you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13. When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty. 14. You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your wine press. As Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. 15. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this thing today. 16. It shall be, if he tells you, “I will not go out from you,” because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you; 17. then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise. 18. It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for he has been double value of a hired hand as he served you six years. Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do. 19. You shall dedicate all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock to Yahweh your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20. You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household. 21. If it has any defect, is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God. 22. You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the deer. 23. Only you shall not eat its blood. You shall pour it out on the ground like water. 1. Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to Yahweh your God; for in the month of Abib Yahweh your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2. You shall sacrifice the Passover to Yahweh your God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which Yahweh shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there. 3. You shall eat no leavened bread with it. You shall eat unleavened bread with it seven days, even the bread of affliction; for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste; that you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4. No yeast shall be seen with you in all your borders seven days; neither shall any of the meat, which you sacrifice the first day at evening, remain all night until the morning. 5. You may not sacrifice the Passover within any of your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you; 6. but at the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the Passover at evening, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came out of Egypt. 7. You shall roast and eat it in the place which Yahweh your God chooses. In the morning you shall return to your tents. 8. Six days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to Yahweh your God. You shall do no work. 9. You shall count for yourselves seven weeks. From the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain you shall begin to count seven weeks. 10. You shall keep the feast of weeks to Yahweh your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give, according as Yahweh your God blesses you. 11. You shall rejoice before Yahweh your God: you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are among you, in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there. 12. You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt. You shall observe and do these statutes. 13. You shall keep the feast of tents seven days, after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and from your wine press. 14. You shall rejoice in your feast, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates. 15. You shall keep a feast to Yahweh your God seven days in the place which Yahweh chooses; because Yahweh your God will bless you in all your increase, and in all the work of your hands, and you shall be altogether joyful. 16. Three times in a year all of your males shall appear before Yahweh your God in the place which he chooses: in the feast of unleavened bread, in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tents. They shall not appear before Yahweh empty. 17. Every man shall give as he is able, according to Yahweh your God’s blessing which he has given you. 18. You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 19. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality. You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous. 20. You shall follow that which is altogether just, that you may live, and inherit the land which Yahweh your God gives you. 21. You shall not plant for yourselves an Asherah of any kind of tree beside Yahweh your God’s altar, which you shall make for yourselves. 22. Neither shall you set yourself up a sacred stone which Yahweh your God hates.

1. Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2. and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3. and all ate the same spiritual food; 4. and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5. However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7. Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8. Let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell. 9. Let us not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents. 10. Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer. 11. Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12. Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall. 13. No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 14. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15. I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ? 17. Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread. 18. Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19. What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20. But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don’t desire that you would have fellowship with demons. 21. You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. 22. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up. 24. Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good. 25. Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat, asking no question for the sake of conscience, 26. for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.” 27. But if one of those who don’t believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience. 28. But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 29. Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience? 30. If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for something I give thanks for? 31. Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32. Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God; 33. even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved. 1. Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2. Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you. 3. But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. 5. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved. 6. For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered. 7. For a man indeed ought not to have his head covered, because he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. 8. For man is not from woman, but woman from man; 9. for man wasn’t created for the woman, but woman for the man. 10. For this cause the woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. 11. Nevertheless, neither is the woman independent of the man, nor the man independent of the woman, in the Lord. 12. For as woman came from man, so a man also comes through a woman; but all things are from God. 13. Judge for yourselves. Is it appropriate that a woman pray to God unveiled? 14. Doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? 15. But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering. 16. But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God’s assemblies. 17. But in giving you this command, I don’t praise you, that you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18. For first of all, when you come together in the assembly, I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it. 19. For there also must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be revealed among you. 20. When therefore you assemble yourselves together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21. For in your eating each one takes his own supper first. One is hungry, and another is drunken. 22. What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly, and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you. 23. For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. 24. When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” 25. In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” 26. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. 29. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body. 30. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. 31. For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn’t be judged. 32. But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33. Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come. 1. Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant. 2. You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led. 3. Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit. 4. Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. 6. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. 7. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. 8. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; 9. to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; 10. and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. 11. But the one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires. 12. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit. 14. For the body is not one member, but many. 15. If the foot would say, “Because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body,” it is not therefore not part of the body. 16. If the ear would say, “Because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of the body,” it’s not therefore not part of the body. 17. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? 18. But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired. 19. If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20. But now they are many members, but one body. 21. The eye can’t tell the hand, “I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I have no need for you.” 22. No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23. Those parts of the body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant propriety; 24. whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the inferior part, 25. that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28. God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. 29. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? 30. Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? 31. But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.

1. Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin. 3. For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me. 4. Against you, and you only, I have sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight; that you may be proved right when you speak, and justified when you judge. 5. Behold, I was born in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me. 6. Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7. Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8. Let me hear joy and gladness, That the bones which you have broken may rejoice. 9. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all of my iniquities. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. 11. Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your holy Spirit from me. 12. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit. 13. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners shall be converted to you. 14. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 15. Lord, open my lips. My mouth shall declare your praise. 16. For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18. Do well in your good pleasure to Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19. Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness, in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings. Then they will offer bulls on your altar.