Deuteronomy 16

1 “Observe the month of Abib, keeping the Passover to the LORD your God, because the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt during the night in the month of Abib.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:1

2 Then sacrifice sheep and cattle for the Passover to the LORD your God at the place where the LORD your God will choose to establish his name.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:2

3 You must not eat any yeast with it. Instead, for seven days eat bread without yeast—the bread of affliction—because you left the land of Egypt in haste. Remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt for the rest of your lives.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:3

4 Yeast is not to be seen in any of your territories for seven days. The meat is not to remain from the evening of the first day until morning.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:4

5 “You must not sacrifice the Passover in just any of your cities ^{a16:5 Lit. gates} that the LORD your God is about to give you.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:5

6 But at the place where your God will choose to establish his name, you are to sacrifice the Passover in the evening at dusk, at the time of day you left Egypt.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:6

7 Boil and eat the Passover meal ^{b16:7 The Heb. lacks the Passover meal} at the place that the LORD your God will choose. In the morning you may go back to your tents.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:7

8 Eat bread without yeast for six days. Then on the seventh day, hold an assembly to the LORD your God. Don’t do any work.”ISV — Deuteronomy 16:8

9 “Count off seven weeks from when the sickle is first put to standing grain.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:9

10 Then observe the Festival of Weeks in the presence of the LORD your God by giving your tribute and the freewill offering of your hands in proportion to the manner in which the LORD your God blessed you.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:10

11 Rejoice in the presence of the LORD your God with your son, daughter, male and female slaves, the descendant of Levi who is in your city, ^{c16:11 Lit. gate} the stranger, the orphan, and the widow among you, at the place where the LORD your God will choose to establish his name.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:11

12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, so keep and observe these statutes.”ISV — Deuteronomy 16:12

13 “Celebrate the Festival of Tents ^{d16:13 Or Tents} for seven days after you harvest from your threshing floor and your wine press.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:13

14 Rejoice in your festival—you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the descendants of Levi, foreigners, orphans, and widows who live in your cities. ^{e16:14 Lit. gates}ISV — Deuteronomy 16:14

15 For seven days you are to celebrate in the presence of the LORD your God at the place where the LORD will choose; for the LORD your God will bless you in all your harvest and in everything you do, and your joy will be complete.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:15

16 “Every male must appear in the presence of the LORD your God three times a year at the place where he will choose: for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Seven Weeks, and the Festival of Tents. ^{f16:16 Or Tents} He must not appear in the LORD’s presence empty-handed,ISV — Deuteronomy 16:16

17 but each one must appear ^{g16:17 The Heb. lacks must appear} with his own gift, proportional to the blessing that the LORD your God has given you.”ISV — Deuteronomy 16:17

18 “Appoint judges and civil servants according to your tribes in all your cities ^{h16:18 Lit. gates} that the LORD your God is about to give you, so they may judge the people impartially. ^{i16:18 Lit. people with righteous judgment}ISV — Deuteronomy 16:18

19 You must not twist justice, show favoritism, or take bribes, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the speech of the righteous.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:19

20 You are to pursue justice—and only justice—so you may live and possess the land that the LORD your God is about to give you.”ISV — Deuteronomy 16:20

21 “You are not to set up a sacred pole ^{j16:21 Lit. Asherah; i.e. a cultic pillar} beside the altar of the LORD your God that you will build.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:21

22 Furthermore, you are not to erect for yourselves a sacred stone pillar, because the LORD your God detests these things.ISV — Deuteronomy 16:22