Deuteronomy 15:1-11
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 15
Debts and the Poor. 1 At the end of every seven-year period[a] you shall have a remission of debts,(A) 2 and this is the manner of the remission. Creditors shall remit all claims on loans made to a neighbor, not pressing the neighbor, one who is kin, because the Lord’s remission has been proclaimed. 3 You may press a foreigner, but you shall remit the claim on what your kin owes to you.(B) 4 (C)However, since the Lord, your God, will bless you abundantly in the land the Lord, your God, will give you to possess as a heritage, there shall be no one of you in need 5 if you but listen to the voice of the Lord, your God, and carefully observe this entire commandment which I enjoin on you today. 6 Since the Lord, your God, will bless you as he promised, you will lend to many nations, and borrow from none;(D) you will rule over many nations, and none will rule over you.
7 (E)If one of your kindred is in need in any community in the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor close your hand against your kin who is in need. 8 Instead, you shall freely open your hand and generously lend what suffices to meet that need.(F) 9 Be careful not to entertain the mean thought, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,” so that you would begrudge your kin who is in need and give nothing, and your kin would cry to the Lord against you and you would be held guilty.(G) 10 When you give, give generously and not with a stingy heart; for that, the Lord, your God, will bless you in all your works and undertakings. 11 The land will never lack for needy persons; that is why I command you: “Open your hand freely to your poor and to your needy kin in your land.”(H)
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- 15:1 At the end of every seven-year period: in every seventh, or sabbatical, year. Cf. 15:9; 31:10; and compare Jer 34:14 with Dt 15:12. A remission of debts: it is debated whether a full cancellation of debts is meant, or merely a suspension of payment on them or on their interest, but the former is more likely. Cf. Ex 23:11 where the same Hebrew root is used of a field that is “let lie fallow” in the sabbatical year.
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
New International Version
The Year for Canceling Debts(A)
15 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.(B) 2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3 You may require payment from a foreigner,(C) but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you. 4 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless(D) you, 5 if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow(E) all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.(F)
7 If anyone is poor(G) among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted(H) toward them. 8 Rather, be openhanded(I) and freely lend them whatever they need. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts,(J) is near,” so that you do not show ill will(K) toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.(L) 10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart;(M) then because of this the Lord your God will bless(N) you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people(O) in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.(P)
Deuteronomy 24:10-13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Loans and Wages. 10 When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, you shall not enter the neighbor’s house to receive the pledge, 11 but shall wait outside until the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge outside to you. 12 If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the pledged garment, 13 but shall definitely return it at sunset, so that your neighbor may sleep in the garment(A) and bless you. That will be your justice before the Lord, your God.
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Deuteronomy 24:10-13
New International Version
10 When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into their house to get what is offered to you as a pledge.(A) 11 Stay outside and let the neighbor to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. 12 If the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge(B) in your possession. 13 Return their cloak by sunset(C) so that your neighbor may sleep in it.(D) Then they will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the Lord your God.(E)
Exodus 22:25
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
25 If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before sunset;
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Exodus 22:25
New International Version
25 “If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.(A)
Leviticus 25:35-38
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
35 When one of your kindred is reduced to poverty and becomes indebted to you, you shall support that person like a resident alien; let your kindred live with you. 36 Do not exact interest in advance or accrued interest,[a] but out of fear of God let your kindred live with you. 37 (A)Do not give your money at interest or your food at a profit. 38 I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.
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- 25:36 Interest in advance or accrued interest: two types of interest are mentioned here. The former may refer to interest subtracted from the loaned amount in advance, and the latter, to interest or a payment in addition to the loaned amount.
Leviticus 25:35-38
New International Version
35 “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor(A) and are unable to support themselves among you, help them(B) as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest(C) or any profit from them, but fear your God,(D) so that they may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend them money at interest(E) or sell them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan(F) and to be your God.(G)
Ezekiel 18:8
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
8 if he does not lend at interest or exact usury; if he refrains from evildoing and makes a fair judgment between two opponents;(A)
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Ezekiel 18:8
New International Version
Ezekiel 18:13
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 lends at interest and exacts usury—this son certainly shall not live. Because he practiced all these abominations, he shall surely be put to death; his own blood shall be on him.(A)
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Ezekiel 18:13
New International Version
13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.(A)
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.(B)
Ezekiel 18:17
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
17 who refrains from evildoing, accepts no interest or usury, but keeps my ordinances and walks in my statutes—this one shall not die for the sins of his father. He shall surely live!
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Ezekiel 18:17
New International Version
17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws(A) and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live.
Ezekiel 22:12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
12 There are those in you who take bribes to shed blood. You exact interest and usury; you extort profit from your neighbor by violence. But me you have forgotten—oracle of the Lord God.(A)
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Luke 6:34-35
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
34 If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit [is] that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount.(A) 35 But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.(B)
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Luke 6:34-35
New International Version
34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(A) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(B) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(C) of the Most High,(D) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
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