Deuteronomy 25

New Life Version

25 “Two men might argue and go to court. The judges will decide between them, saying that the right man is not guilty and that the sinful man is guilty. ² If the sinful man should be beaten, the leader will make him lie down and be beaten in front of him. The number of times he is beaten will be decided upon by how bad his sin is. ³ The number may be as much as forty, but no more. If he is beaten more than this, your brother would be put to much shame in your eyes.

⁴ “When the bull is made to walk on the grain to break it open, do not stop him from eating some.

⁵ “When brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, the dead man’s wife must not be married outside the family to a strange man. The husband’s brother will take her as his wife and do what he should for her as a brother-in-law. ⁶ The first son born to her will take the name of the dead brother so his name will not be forgotten in Israel. ⁷ But the man might not want to take his brother’s wife. Then his brother’s wife should go to the leaders at the gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother will not make his brother’s name to be remembered in Israel. He is not willing to do the duty of a brother-in-law to me.’ ⁸ Then the leaders of his city will call him and speak to him. If he still says, ‘I do not want to take her,’ ⁹ then his brother’s wife will come to him in front of the leaders. She will pull his shoe off his foot and spit in his face. And she will say, ‘This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s house.’ ¹⁰ In Israel his name will be called, ‘The house of him whose shoe is pulled off.’

¹¹ “If two men are fighting together and the wife of one comes to save her husband from the one who is hitting him and if she puts out her hand and takes hold of his sex part, ¹² you must cut off her hand. Do not show pity.

¹³ “You must not have two different weights in your bag, one large and one small. ¹⁴ You must not have in your house different ways of showing how big or small something is. ¹⁵ You must have a full and fair weight. You must have a fair way to show how big something is. Then you will live long in the land the Lord your God gives you. ¹⁶ For the Lord hates everyone who does such things, who lies and is not fair.

¹⁷ “Remember what Amalek did to you on your way out of Egypt. ¹⁸ He met you on the way when you were weak and tired. And he fought with those who were behind. He did not fear God. ¹⁹ When the Lord your God gives you rest from all those around you who hate you, in the land the Lord your God gives you for your own, you must forget all about Amalek, so no one under heaven will remember him. Do not forget to do this.