1 “ At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts.

At the end of every seven years, you shall cancel debts.

2 A nd this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord ’s release.

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 O f a foreigner you may require it; but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother,

Of a foreigner you may require it; but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand shall release.

4 e xcept when there may be no poor among you; for the Lord will greatly bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance—

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 o nly if you carefully obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today.

if only you diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you today.

6 F or the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. Generosity to the Poor

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 there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,

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 b ut you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.

but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks.

9 B eware lest there 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 out to the Lord against you, and it become sin among you.

Beware that there not be a base 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 Y ou shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.

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 F or the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’ The Law Concerning Bondservants

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.

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 A nd when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed;

When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty.

14 y ou shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the Lord your God has blessed you with, you shall give to him.

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 Y ou shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today.

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 A nd if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you,

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 t hen 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.

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 I t shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you; for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do. The Law Concerning Firstborn Animals

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 “ All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the Lord your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.

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 Y ou and your household shall eat it before the Lord your God year by year in the place which the Lord chooses.

You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household.

21 B ut if there is a defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.

If it has any defect, is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God.

22 Y ou may eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean person alike may eat it, as if it were a gazelle or a deer.

You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle, and as the deer.

23 O nly you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground like water.

Only you shall not eat its blood. You shall pour it out on the ground like water.