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14 You shall not disgrace your father’s brother by having sexual relations with his wife,(A) since she, too, is your aunt. 15 You shall not have intercourse with your daughter-in-law;[a](B) she is your son’s wife; you shall not have intercourse with her. 16 You shall not have intercourse with your brother’s wife;[b](C) that would be a disgrace to your brother. 17 You shall not have intercourse with a woman and also with her daughter, nor shall you marry and have intercourse with her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter;(D) they are related to her. This would be shameful. 18 While your wife is still living you shall not marry her sister as her rival and have intercourse with her.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 18:15 Judah had intercourse with his daughter-in-law Tamar (Gn 38), but did not know her true identity until her pregnancy was discovered.
  2. 18:16 This refers to cohabiting with one’s sister-in-law not only while the brother is alive, but also after he is dead. Dt 25:5–10 allows for the marriage to the wife of a brother when that brother died without a male heir. Cf. Gn 38:6–14. It was the violation of this law of Leviticus which aroused the wrath of John the Baptist against Herod Antipas (Mt 14:4; Mk 6:18).

14 “‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.(A)

15 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.(B) She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.(C)

16 “‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;(D) that would dishonor your brother.

17 “‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.(E) Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

18 “‘Do not take your wife’s sister(F) as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

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