Deuteronomy 16:1-22, NLT

Deuteronomy 16

Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread

1“In honor of the Lord your God, celebrate the Passover each year in the early spring, in the month of Abib,*16:1 Hebrew Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the Lord your God. Abib, the first month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurs within the months of March and April. for that was the month in which the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night.

2Your Passover sacrifice may be from either the flock or the herd, and it must be sacrificed to the Lord your God at the designated place of worship—the place he chooses for his name to be honored. 3Eat it with bread made without yeast. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, as when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread—the bread of suffering—so that as long as you live you will remember the day you departed from Egypt. 4Let no yeast be found in any house throughout your land for those seven days. And when you sacrifice the Passover lamb on the evening of the first day, do not let any of the meat remain until the next morning.

5“You may not sacrifice the Passover in just any of the towns that the Lord your God is giving you.

6You must offer it only at the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there in the evening as the sun goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt. 7Roast the lamb and eat it in the place the Lord your God chooses. Then you may go back to your tents the next morning. 8For the next six days you may not eat any bread made with yeast. On the seventh day proclaim another holy day in honor of the Lord your God, and no work may be done on that day.

The Festival of Harvest

9“Count off seven weeks from when you first begin to cut the grain at the time of harvest.

10Then celebrate the Festival of Harvest*16:10 Hebrew Festival of Weeks; also in 16:16. This was later called the Festival of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1). It is celebrated today as Shavuot (or Shabuoth). to honor the Lord your God. Bring him a voluntary offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him. 11This is a time to celebrate before the Lord your God at the designated place of worship he will choose for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. 12Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these decrees.

The Festival of Shelters

13“You must observe the Festival of Shelters*16:13 Or Festival of Booths, or Festival of Tabernacles; also in 16:16. This was earlier called the Festival of the Final Harvest or Festival of Ingathering (see Exod 23:16b). It is celebrated today as Sukkot (or Succoth). for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed.

14This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns. 15For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the Lord your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.

16“Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these occasions, all men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the Lord without a gift for him.

17All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.

Justice for the People

18“Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

19You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. 20Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

21“You must never set up a wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build for the Lord your God.

22And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the Lord your God hates them.