Exodus 21 Parallel Bible Translations

Exodus 21 ▼
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1 “Now these are the ordinances (laws) which you shall set before the Israelites: “Now these are the rules that you shall set before them. “These are the laws you are to set before them:
2 “If you purchase a Hebrew servant [because of his debt or poverty], he shall serve six years, and in the seventh [year] he shall leave as a free man, paying nothing. When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything.
3 If he came [to you] alone, he shall leave alone; if he came married, then his wife shall leave with him. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him.
4 If his master gives him a wife, and she gives birth to sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall leave [your service] alone. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.
5 But if the servant plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not leave as a free man,’ But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’
6 then his master shall bring him to God [that is, to the judges who act in God’s name], then he shall bring him to the door or doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl (strong needle); and he shall serve him for life. then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.
7 “If a man sells his daughter to be a female servant, she shall not go free [after six years] as male servants do. “When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do.
8 If she does not please her master who has chosen her for himself [as a wife], he shall let her be redeemed [by her family]. He does not have the authority to sell her to a foreign people, because he has been unfair to her. If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has broken faith with her. If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her.
9 If her master chooses her [as a wife] for his son, he shall act toward her as if she were legally his daughter. If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter.
10 If her master marries another wife, he may not reduce her food, her clothing, or her privilege as a wife. If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.
11 If he does not do these three things for her, then shall she leave free, without payment of money. And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money. If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.
12 “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies must be put to death. “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. “Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death.
13 However, if he did not lie in wait [for him], but God allowed him to fall into his hand, then I will establish for you a place to which he may escape [for protection until duly tried]. But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate.
14 But if a man acts intentionally against another and kills him by [design through] treachery, you are to take him from My altar [to which he may have fled for protection], so that he may be put to death. But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him by cunning, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die. But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.
15 “Whoever strikes his father or his mother must be put to death. “Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death. “Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death.
16 “Whoever kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or is found with him in his possession, must be put to death. “Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death. “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
17 “Whoever curses his father or his mother or treats them contemptuously must be put to death. “Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death. “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.
18 “If men quarrel and one strikes another with a stone or with his fist, and he does not die but is confined to bed, “When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, “If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist and the victim does not die but is confined to bed,
19 if he gets up and walks around leaning on his cane, then the one who struck him shall be left [physically] unpunished; he must only pay for his loss of time [at work], and the costs [of treatment and recuperation] until he is thoroughly healed. then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed. the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.
20 “If a man strikes his male or his female servant with a staff and the servant dies at his hand, he must be punished. “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result,
21 If, however, the servant survives for a day or two, the offender shall not be punished, for the [injured] servant is his own property. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money. but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.
22 “If men fight with each other and injure a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely [and the baby lives], yet there is no further injury, the one who hurt her must be punished with a fine [paid] to the woman’s husband, as much as the judges decide. “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows.
23 But if there is any further injury, then you shall require [as a penalty] life for life, But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life,
24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
26 “If a man hits the eye of his male servant or female servant and it is destroyed, he must let the servant go free because of [the loss of] the eye. “When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye. “An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye.
27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or female servant, he must let the servant go free because of [the loss of] the tooth. If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth. And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.
28 “If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox must be stoned and its meat shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be cleared [of responsibility]. “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. “If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible.
29 But if the ox has tried to gore on a previous occasion, and its owner has been warned, but has not kept it confined and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner shall be put to death as well. But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death.
30 If a ransom is demanded of him [in return for his life], then he shall give whatever is demanded for the redemption of his life. If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him. However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded.
31 If the ox has gored another’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. If it gores a man’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter.
32 If the ox gores a male or a female servant, the owner shall give to the servant’s master thirty shekels of silver [the purchase price for a slave], and the ox shall be stoned. If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.
33 “If a man leaves a pit open, or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, “When a man opens a pit, or when a man digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, “If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
34 the owner of the pit shall make restitution; he shall give money to the animal’s owner, but the dead [animal] shall be his. the owner of the pit shall make restoration. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead beast shall be his. the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.
35 “If one man’s ox injures another’s so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the proceeds equally; they shall also divide the dead ox [between them]. “When one man’s ox butts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and share its price, and the dead beast also they shall share. “If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally.
36 Or if it is known that the ox was previously in the habit of goring, and its owner has not kept it confined, he must make restitution of ox for ox, and the dead [animal] shall be his. Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his. However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.
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