• Torah (T): Wayiqra (Leviticus) 18:1-30
• Prophets (P): Ezekiel 22:1-12
• Apostolic (A): Romans 1:21-32
• Additional (ADD): Wisdom of Solomon 14:12-31

RELATED SCRIPTURES

• Romans 10:1-11 (T)
• Galatians 3:11-12 (T)
• Nehemiah 9:26-29 (T)
• Proverbs 7:1-3 (T)
• Genesis 3:6-11 (T)
• Genesis 9:20-23 (T)
• Exodus 20:24-26 (T)
• Exodus 28:42-43 (T)
• 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 (T)
• Numbers 26:58-59 (T)
• Exodus 6:18-20 (T)
• 1 Chronicles 6:1-3 (T)
• Matthew 14:3-4; Mark 6:18-20 (T)
• Genesis 20:1-13 (T)
• Leviticus 15:24 (T)
• Ezekiel 18:5-9 (T)
• Leviticus 20:1-5 (T)
• Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (T)
• 2 Kings 17:7-23 (T)
• 2 Kings 23:10 (T)
• Romans 1:18-32 (T)
• Exodus 22:19 (T)
• Leviticus 20:11-24 (T)
• Deuteronomy 27:20-23 (T)
• Deuteronomy 25:5-10 (T)
• Ezekiel 5:7-9 (T)
• Ezra 9:10-15 (T)
• Leviticus 21:9 (T)
• 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 (T)
• 2 Corinthians 12:19-21 (T)
• Ephesians 5:1-12 (T)
• 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (T)
• Deuteronomy 23:14, 17 (T)
• Mark 7:20-23 (T, ADD)
• Romans 13:11-14 (T, ADD)
• 2 Corinthians 12:19-21 (T, ADD)
• Galatians 5:16-26 (T, ADD)
• Ephesians 4:17-23 (T, ADD)
• 1 Peter 4:1-6 (T, ADD)
• 2 Peter 2:1-10, 17-22 (T, ADD)
• Jude 1:3-8 (T, ADD)

RELATED ADDITIONAL REA.D.INGS

• Jubilees 3:29-31 (T)
• Jubilees 4:1-16 (T)
• Jubilees 11:13-14 (T)
• Jubilees 7:20-27 (T)
• Jubilees 9:14-15 (T)
• Jubilees 10:1-14 (T)
• Jubilees 16:5-9 (T)
• Jubilees 20:1-7 (T)
• Jubilees 23:11-17 (T)
• Jubilees 25:1-10 (T)
• Jubilees 30:7-10 (T)
• Jubilees 33:1-20 (T)
• Jubilees 39:5-8 (T)
• Jubilees 50:1-5 (T)
• Testament of Judah 1:48-54, 2:10-35 (T)
• A Commentary on the Law of Moses 4Q251, Fragment 11 & 12 (T)
• A Record of Disciplinary Action 4Q477 Column 2 (T)
• A Commentary on the Law of Moses 4Q251 Fragment 12 (T)
• The Vision of Amram 4Q545 (T)
• The Damascus Document 4Q268 Fragment A 5 (T)
• Leviticus 18:1-30 from the Jerusalem Targum aka Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (T)
• Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 3.12.1 (T)

Note: (T) means the verse relates to that week’s Torah portion. (P) means the verse relates to that week’s Prophets portion. (A) means the verse relates to that week’s Apostolic portion. (ADD) means the verse relates to that week’s Additional portion.

Torah Portion (T)

18:1 YHWH said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘I am YHWH your Elohim. 3 You will not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You will not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You will not follow their statutes. 4 You will do my judgments. You will guard my statutes and walk in them. I am YHWH your Elohim. 5 You will therefore guard my statutes and my judgments, which if a man does, he will live in them. I am YHWH [your Elohim].^(LXX) 6 None of you will approach any near kin of his flesh, to uncover their [indecency]^(LXX) I am YHWH. 7 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your father, nor the [indecency]^(LXX) of your mother: she is your mother. You will not uncover her [indecency].^(LXX) 8 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your father’s wife. It is your father’s [indecency].^(LXX) 9 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, born at home or born abroad. Their [indecency]^(LXX) you will not uncover. 10 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your son’s daughter, or of your daughter’s daughter, even their [indecency];^(LXX) for theirs is your own [indecency].^(LXX) 11 [You will not uncover]^(LXX) the [indecency]^(LXX) of your father’s wife’s daughter, brought forth by your father, since she is your sister, you will not uncover her [indecency].^(LXX) 12 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your father’s sister. She is your father’s near kin. 13 You will not uncover the [indecency].^(LXX) of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s near kin. 14 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your father’s brother. You will not approach his wife. She is your aunt. 15 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your daughter-in-law. She is your son’s wife. You will not uncover her [indecency].^(LXX) 16 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your brother’s wife. It is your brother’s [indecency].^(LXX) 17 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of a woman and her daughter. You will not take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her [indecency].^(LXX) They are near kinswomen. It is wickedness. 18 You will not take a woman to her sister as an enemy to uncover her [indecency]^(LXX) while her sister is still alive. 19 You will not approach a woman to uncover her [indecency],^(LXX) as long as she is separate by her uncleanness. 20 You will not give copulation for seed to your fellow’s wife, and be unclean with her. 21 You will not give your seed to be made to cross over to [Moloch].^(LXX) You will not profane the name of your Elohim. I am YHWH. 22 With a male you will not lie on a woman’s bed, it is detestable. 23 And with any beast you will not give your copulation for uncleanness with it, and a woman will not stand before a beast to be squared on hands and knees. This is perversion. 24 Don’t make yourselves unclean in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you are unclean. 25 The land was unclean. Therefore I counted its iniquity and the land vomited out her inhabitants. 26 You therefore will guard my statutes and my judgments, and will not do any of these detestable things; neither the native, nor the stranger who sojourns among you 27 for the men of the land that were before you had done all these detestable things, and the land became unclean, 28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. 29 For whoever will do any of these detestable things, even the souls that do them will be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore you will guard my charge, that you do not do any of these detestable statutes which were done before you, and that you do not make yourselves unclean with them [for]^(DSS) I am YHWH your Elohim.’ ”

Prophets Portion (P)

22:1 Moreover the word of YHWH came to me, saying, 2 “You, son of man, will you judge? Will you judge the bloody city? Then cause her to know all her detestable things. 3 You will say, ‘The Lord YHWH says: “[Woe]^(LXX) to the city that sheds blood within herself, that her time may come, and that makes idols against herself to make her unclean! 4 You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed, and are unclean in your idols which you have made! You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years. Therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mocking to all the countries. 5 Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you, you infamous one, full of tumult. 6 Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood. 7 In you have they made light of father and mother. Among you they have oppressed the foreigner. In you they have wronged the fatherless and the widow. 8 You have despised my holy, and have profaned my Sabbaths. 9 Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. In you they have eaten on the mountains. They have done wickedness among you. 10 In you have they uncovered their fathers’ [shame].^(LXX) In you have they afflicted her who was unclean in her separation. 11 One has done a detestable thing with his neighbor’s wife, and another has wickedly made his daughter-in-law unclean. Another in you has afflicted his sister, his father’s daughter. 12 In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten me,” says the Lord YHWH.

Apostolic Portion (A)

1:21 Because knowing Elohim, they didn’t glorify him as Elohim, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible Elohim for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things. 24 Therefore Elohim also gave them up in the coveting of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves; 25 who exchanged the truth of Elohim for a lie, and did bow down to and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason, Elohim gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their coveting toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. 28 Even as they refused to have Elohim in their knowledge, Elohim gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, whoring, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, 30 backbiters, hateful to Elohim, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the ordinance of Elohim, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

Additional Portion (ADD)

14:12 For the devising of idols was the beginning of sexual immorality, and the invention of them the corruption of life. 13 For they didn’t exist from the beginning, and they won’t exist forever. 14 For by the boastfulness of men they entered into the world, and therefore a speedy end was planned for them. 15 For a father worn with untimely grief, making an image of the child quickly taken away, now honored him as an elohim which was then a dead human being, and delivered to those that were under him mysteries and solemn rites. 16 Afterward the impious custom, in process of time grown strong, was kept as a law, and the engraved images received worship by the commandments of princes. 17 And when men could not honor them in face because they lived far off, imagining the likeness from afar, they made a visible image of the king whom they honored, that by their zeal they might flatter the absent as if present. 18 But worship was raised to a yet higher pitch, even by those who didn’t know him, urged forward by the ambition of the architect; 19 for he, wishing perhaps to please his ruler, used his art to force the likeness toward a greater beauty. 20 So the multitude, allured by reason of the grace of his handiwork, now consider an object of devotion him that a little before was honored as a man. 21 And this became an ambush, because men, in bondage either to calamity or to tyranny, invested stones and stocks with the Name that shouldn’t be shared. Afterward it was not enough for them to go astray concerning the knowledge of Elohim, but also, while they live in a great war of ignorance, they call a multitude of evils peace. 23 For either slaughtering children in solemn rites, or celebrating secret mysteries, or holding frenzied revels of strange customs, 24 no longer do they guard either life or purity of marriage, but one brings upon another either death by treachery, or anguish by adultery. 25 And all things confusedly are filled with blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult, perjury, 26 confusion about what is good, forgetfulness of favors, ingratitude for benefits, defiling of souls, [changing of creation], disorder in marriage, adultery and lewdness. 27 For the worship of idols that may not be named is a beginning and cause and end of every evil. 28 For their worshipers either make merry to madness, or prophesy lies, or live unrighteously, or lightly commit perjury. 29 For putting their trust in lifeless idols, when they have sworn a wicked oath, they expect not to suffer harm. 30 But on both counts, the just doom will pursue them, because they had evil thoughts of Elohim by giving heed to idols, and swore unrighteously in deceit through contempt for holiness. 31 For it is not the power of things by which men swear, but it is the just penalty for those who sin that always visits the transgression of the unrighteous.

Related Scriptures

10:1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to Elohim is for Israel, that they may be saved. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for Elohim, but not according to knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of Elohim’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of Elohim. 4 For Messiah is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live in them.” (cf. Leviticus 18:5) 6 But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into the heavens?’ (cf. Deuteronomy 30:12) That is, to bring Messiah down; 7 or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (cf. Deuteronomy 30:13) That is, to bring Messiah up from the dead.” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” (cf. Deuteronomy 30:14) That is, the word of faith which we proclaim: 9 that if you will confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and believe in your heart that Elohim raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.” (cf. Isaiah 28:16)

3:11 Now that no man is justified by the law before Elohim is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” (cf. Habakkuk 2:4) 12 The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live in them.” (cf. Leviticus 18:5)

9:26 “Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that witnessed against them to turn them again to you, and they done awful blasphemies. 27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from the heavens; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries. 28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore you left them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried to you, you heard from the heavens; and many times you delivered them according to your mercies, 29 and witnessed against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your judgments which if a man does, he will live in them (cf. Leviticus 18:5), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.

7:1 My son, guard my words. Lay up my commandments within you. 2 Guard my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate. Then she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. 7 Their eyes were opened, and they both knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made coverings for themselves. 8 They heard YHWH Elohim’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the face of YHWH Elohim among the trees of the garden. 9 YHWH Elohim called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; so I hid myself.” 11 Elohim said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

9:20 Noaḥ began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and got drunk. He was uncovered within his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn’t see their father’s nakedness.

20:24 You will make an altar of earth for me, and will slaughter on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you. 25 If you make me an altar of stone, you will not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it. 26 You will not go up by steps to my altar, that your [indecency].^(LXX) may not be exposed to it.

28:42 You will make them linen undergarments  to cover over the flesh of [indecency].^(LXX). They will reach from the waist even to the thighs. 43 They will be on Aaron and on his sons, when they go in to the Appointed Tent, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place, that they don’t bear iniquity, and die. This will be a statute forever to him and to his seed after him.

5:1 It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even named among the Nations, that one has his father’s wife. 2 You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. 3 For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. 4 In the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, when you are gathered together with my spirit with the power of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, 5 you are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua.

26:58 These are the families of Levi: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, and the family of the Qorachites. Qohath became the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. She bore to Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

6:18 The sons of Qohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Qohath were one hundred thirty-three years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram took Jochebed his aunt to himself as wife*; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. The years of the life of Amram were one hundred thirty-seven years.

*The Hebrew here is “wayiqach ‘amaram et yokheved dodato” and doesn’t use אֲחוֹת־אָבִיךָ achot avicha “father’s sister” as Leviticus 18:12, 20:19.

Matthew 14:3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

Mark 6:18 For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her. 18 For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.

20:1 Abraham traveled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar. 2 Abraham said about Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 3 But Elohim came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man’s wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, “Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 5 Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister’? She, even she herself, said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.” 6 Elohim said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.” 8 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my reign a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!” 10 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you have done this thing?” 11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of Elohim is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 When Elohim caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you will show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ‘ ”

Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus 1.6.5. …Now Abram had two brethren, Nahor and Haran: of these Haran left a son, Lot; as also Sarai and Milcha his daughters; and died among the Kasdim, in a city of the Kasdim, called Ur; and his monument is shown to this day. These married their nieces. Nahor married Milcha, and Abram married Sarai…

15:24 If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on him, he will be unclean seven days; and every bed he lies on will be unclean.

18:5 “But if a man is righteous, and does judgment and righteousness, 6 and has not eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbor’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her separation, 7 and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment; 8 he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man, 9 has walked in my statutes, and has kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he will surely live,” says the Lord YHWH.

20:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Moreover, you will tell the sons of Israel, ‘Anyone of the sons of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his seed to Molek will surely be put to death. The people of the land will stone that person with stones. 3 I also will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given of his seed to Molek, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. 4 If the people of the land all hide their eyes from that person when he gives of his seed to Molek, and don’t put him to death, 5 then I will set my face against that man and against his family, and will cut him off, and all who whore after him to whore after Molek, from among their people.

18:9 When you have come into the land which YHWH your Elohim gives you, you will not learn to imitate the abominations of those nations. 10 There will not be found with you he who makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who tells fortunes, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11 or a charmer, or someone who consults with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For whoever does these things is an abomination to YHWH. Because of these abominations, YHWH your Elohim drives them out from before you. 13 You will be blameless with YHWH your Elohim. 14 For these nations that you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery and to diviners; but as for you, YHWH your Elohim has not allowed you so to do.

17:7 It was so because the sons of Israel had sinned against YHWH their Elohim, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other elohim, 8 and walked in the statutes of the nations whom YHWH cast out from before the sons of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made. 9 The sons of Israel secretly did things that were not right against YHWH their Elohim; and they built high places for themselves in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city; 10 and they set up for themselves pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree; 11 and there they burned incense in all the high places, as the nations whom YHWH carried away before them did; and they did wicked things to provoke YHWH to anger; 12 and they served idols, of which YHWH had said to them, “You will not do this thing.” 13 Yet YHWH witnessed to Israel and to Judah, by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and guard my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.” 14 Notwithstanding, they would not listen, but hardened their neck like the neck of their fathers who didn’t believe in YHWH their Elohim. 15 They rejected his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he witnessed to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom YHWH had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 They abandoned all the commandments of YHWH their Elohim, and made molten images for themselves, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and did bow down to all the army of the heavens, and served Baal. 17 They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of YHWH, to provoke him to anger. 18 Therefore YHWH was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight. There was none left but the tribe of Judah only. 19 Also Judah didn’t guard the commandments of YHWH their Elohim, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20 YHWH rejected all the seed of Israel, afflicted them, and delivered them into the hands of raiders, until he had cast them out of his sight. 21 For he tore Israel from David’s house; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; and Jeroboam drove Israel from following YHWH, and made them sin a great sin. 22 The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn’t depart from them 23 until YHWH removed Israel out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day.

23:10 [Josiah] made Topheth unclean, which is in the valley of the sons of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molek.

1:18 For the wrath of Elohim is revealed from the heavens against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known of Elohim is revealed in them, for Elohim revealed it to them. 20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity, that they may be without excuse. 21 Because knowing Elohim, they didn’t glorify him as Elohim, and didn’t give thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible Elohim for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, four-footed animals, and creeping things. 24 Therefore Elohim also gave them up in the coveting of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves; 25 who exchanged the truth of Elohim for a lie, and did bow down to and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason, Elohim gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their coveting toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error. 28 Even as they refused to have Elohim in their knowledge, Elohim gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers, 30 backbiters, hateful to Elohim, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the ordinance of Elohim, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

22:19 Whoever lies down with a beast will surely be put to death.

20:11 The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s [indecency].^(LXX) Both of them will surely be put to death. Their blood will be upon themselves. 12 If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them will surely be put to death. They have done a perversion. Their blood will be upon themselves. 13 If a man lies with a male on a woman’s bed, both of them have done a detestable thing. They will surely be put to death. Their blood will be upon themselves. 14 If a man takes a woman and her mother, it is wickedness. They will be burned with fire, both he and they, that there may be no wickedness among you. 15 If a man gives his copulation in a beast, he will surely be put to death; and you will kill the animal. 16 If a woman comes near a beast to be squared on hands and knees, you will kill the woman and the beast. They will surely be put to death. Their blood will be upon them. 17 If a man takes his sister—his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter—and sees her [indecency],^(LXX) and she sees his [indecency],^(LXX) it is a shameful thing. They will be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s [indecency].^(LXX) He will bear his iniquity. 18 If a man lies with a woman having her sickness, and uncovers her [indecency];^(LXX) he has made her fountain naked, and she has uncovered the fountain of her blood. Both of them will be cut off from among their people. 19 You will not uncover the [indecency]^(LXX) of your mother’s sister, nor of your father’s sister, for he has made his near kin naked. They will bear their iniquity. 20 If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s [indecency].^(LXX) They will bear their sin. They will die childless. 21 If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is an impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s [indecency].^(LXX) They will be childless. 22 You will therefore guard all my statutes and all my judgments, and do them, that the land where I am bringing you to dwell may not vomit you out. 23 You will not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them. 24 But I have said to you, “You will inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am YHWH your Elohim, who has separated you from the peoples.

27:20 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife, because he dishonors his father’s bed.’ All the people will say, ‘Amen.’ 21 ‘Cursed is he who lies with any kind of animal.’ All the people will say, ‘Amen.’ 22 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter.’ All the people will say, ‘Amen.’ 23 ‘Cursed is he who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people will say, ‘Amen.’

25:5 If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the woman of the dead will not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother will go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 It will be that the firstborn whom she bears will succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name not be blotted out of Israel. 7 If the man doesn’t want to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife will go up to the gate to the elders, and say, “My husband’s brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Israel. He will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.” 8 Then the elders of his city will call him, and speak to him. If he stands and says, “I don’t want to take her,” 9 then his brother’s wife will come to him in the face of the elders, and loose his sandal from off his foot, and spit in his face. She will answer and say, “So will it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.” 10 His name will be called in Israel, “The house of him who had his sandal removed.”

5:7 “Therefore the Lord YHWH says: ‘Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are around you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have followed the judgments of the nations that are around you; 8 therefore the Lord YHWH says: ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations. 9 I will do in you that which I have not done, and which I will not do anything like it any more, because of all your abominations.

9:10 “Now, our Elohim, what will we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, 11 which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land to which you go to possess is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness. 12 Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your sons forever.’ 13 “After all that has come on us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since you, our Elohim, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a remnant, 14 will we again break your commandments, and join ourselves with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn’t you be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there would be no remnant, nor any to escape? 15 YHWH, the Elohim of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold,* we are before you in our guiltiness; for no one can stand before you because of this.”

• G4202 πορνεία porneia – noun feminine – illicit sexual intercourse; 1a) adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc. 1b) sexual intercourse with close relatives; 1c) sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman
• G4203 πορνεύω porneuō – verb – 1) to whore one’s body to the lust of another 2) to give one’s self to unlawful sexual intercourse 2a) to commit fornication
• G1608 ἐκπορνεύω ekporneuō – verb – to go a whoring, “give one’s self over to fornication”
• G4204 πόρνη pornē – noun feminine – 1) a woman who sells her body for sexual uses 1a) a whore, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain 1b) any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust
• G4205 πόρνος pornos – noun masculine – 1) a man who whores his body to another’s lust for hire 2) a male whore 3) a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator

21:9 The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by whoring (G1608), she profanes her father. She will be burned with fire.

5:1 It is actually reported that there is fornication (G4202) among you, and such fornication (G4202) as is not even named among the Nations, that one has his father’s wife. 2 You are arrogant, and didn’t mourn instead, that he who had done this deed might be removed from among you. 3 For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing. 4 In the name of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, 5 are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Yeshua. 6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Messiah, our Pesach, has been slaughtered in our place. 8 Therefore let’s keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners (G4205); 10 yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners (G4205) of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world. 11 But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner (G4205), or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person. 12 For what do I have to do with also judging those who are outside? Don’t you judge those who are within? 13 But those who are outside, Elohim judges. “Put away the wicked man from among yourselves.”

6:15 Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Messiah? Shall I then take the members of Messiah and make them members of a whore (G4204)? May it never be! 16 Or don’t you know that he who is joined to a whore (G4204) is one body? For, “The two”, he says, “will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication (G4202)! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits fornication (G4203) sins against his own body. 19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from Elohim? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify Elohim in your body and in your spirit, which are Elohim’s.

12:19 Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of Elohim we speak in Messiah. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. 20 For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that by any means there would be strife, zeal, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots, 21 that again when I come my Elohim would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, fornication (G4202), and covetousness which they committed.

5:1 Be therefore imitators of Elohim, as beloved children. 2 Walk in love, even as Messiah also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a slaughter to Elohim for a sweet-smelling fragrance. 3 But fornication (G4202), and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes holy ones; 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks. 5 Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person (G4205), nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Reign of Messiah and Elohim. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of Elohim comes on the children of disobedience. 7 Therefore don’t be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, 10 proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. 11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

6:14 Don’t be unequally yoked* with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Messiah have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement does a temple of Elohim have with idols? For you are a temple of the living Elohim. Even as Elohim said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their Elohim and they will be my people.” 17 Therefore Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. 18 I will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

*Leviticus 19:19 (Septuagint text as translated in the Apostolic Bible Polyglot by Charles VanderPool) My law you will guard. Your cattle you will not mate unequally yoked. And in your vineyard you will not scatter abroad diverse seed. And a garment of two materials being woven commingled you will not put upon yourself.

23:14 for YHWH your Elohim walks in the middle of your camp, to deliver you, and to give up your enemies before you. Therefore your camp will be holy, that he may not see an unclean thing in you, and turn away from you…17 There will be no whore (G4204) of the daughters of Israel, neither will there be a whore (G4203) of the sons of Israel.

7:20 He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”

13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light. 13 Let’s walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in beds and lewdness, and not in strife and zeal. 14 But put on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and make no provision for the flesh, for its coveting.

12:19 Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of Elohim we speak in Messiah. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying. 20 For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, zeal, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots, 21 that again when I come my Elohim would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they committed.

5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the coveting of the flesh. 17 For the flesh coveting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the reign of Elohim. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and coveting. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Nations also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of Elohim because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts. 19 They, having become callous, gave themselves up to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you didn’t learn Messiah that way, 21 if indeed you heard him and were taught in him, even as truth is in Yeshua: 22 that you put away, as concerning your former way of life, the bearded man that grows corrupt after the coveting of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, who in the likeness of Elohim has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.

4:1 Therefore, since Messiah suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the coveting of men, but for the will of Elohim. 3 For we have spent enough of our past time doing the desire of the Nations, and having walked in lewdness, coveting, drunken binges, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries. 4 They think it is strange that you don’t run with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to Elohim in the spirit.

2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2 Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned. 3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction [is not asleep]. 4 For if Elohim didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartaros, and committed them to pits of darkness to be reserved for judgment; 5 and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noaḥ with seven others, a proclaimer of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the impious, 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live in an impious way; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, being harassed by the unlawful ones in lewdness of behavior, 8 for that righteous man dwelling among them was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds: 9 the Lord knows how to deliver the pious out of trial and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the coveting of defilement and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of glories…17 These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved. 18 For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the coveting of the flesh, by lewdness, those who are indeed escaping from those who live in error; 19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of [our] Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 It would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” (cf. Proverbs 26:11) and “a bathed pig to wallowing in the mire.”

1:3 Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the holy ones. 4 For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: impious men, turning the grace of our Elohim into lewdness, and denying our only Master, Elohim, and Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. 5 Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who didn’t believe. 6 Angels who didn’t keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in the same way, these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and speak evil of glories.

Related Additional Readings​

Between 1947 and 1956 approximately 15 Jubilees scrolls were found in five caves at Qumran, all written in Hebrew. The large number of manuscripts (more than for any biblical books except for Psalms, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Exodus, and Genesis, in descending order) indicates that Jubilees was widely used at Qumran. A comparison of the Qumran texts with the Ethiopic version, performed by James VanderKam, found that the Ethiopic was in most respects an accurate and literalistic translation. Scholars have dated Jubilees to have been written sometime around 160-150 B.C.

3:29 And He sent out of the Garden of Eden all flesh that was in the Garden of Eden, and all flesh was scattered according to its kinds, and according to its types unto the places which had been created for them. 30 And to Adam alone did He give (the wherewithal) to cover his shame, of all the beasts and cattle. 31 On this account, it is prescribed on the heavenly tablets as touching all those who know the judgment of the law, that they should cover their shame, and should not uncover themselves as the Nations uncover themselves.

4:1 And in the third week in the second jubilee [64-70 A.M.] she gave birth to Cain, and in the fourth [71-77 A.M.] she gave birth to Abel, and in the fifth [78-84 A.M.] she gave birth to her daughter Âwân. 2. And in the first (year) of the third jubilee [99-105 A.M.], Cain slew Abel because (Elohim) accepted the slaughter of Abel, and did not accept the offering of Cain. 3. And he slew him in the field: and his blood cried from the ground to the heavens, complaining because he had slain him. 4. And the Lord reproved Cain because of Abel, because he had slain him, and he made him a fugitive on the land because of the blood of his brother, and he cursed him upon the land. 5. And on this account it is written on the heavenly tables, ‘Cursed is he who smites his neighbour treacherously, and let all who have seen and heard say, So be it; and the man who has seen and not declared (it), let him be accursed as the other.’ 6. And for this reason we announce when we come before the Lord our Elohim all the sin which is committed in the heavens and on land, and in light and in darkness, and everywhere. 7. And Adam and his wife mourned for Abel four weeks of years, [99-127 A.M] and in the fourth year of the fifth week [130 A.M.] they became joyful, and Adam knew his wife again, and she bare him a son, and he called his name Seth; for he said ‘Elohim has raised up a second seed unto us on the land instead of Abel; for Cain slew him.’ 8. And in the sixth week [134-40 A.M.] he begat his daughter Azûrâ. 9. And Cain took Âwân his sister to be his wife and she bare him Enoch at the close of the fourth jubilee. [190-196 A.M.] And in the first year of the first week of the fifth jubilee, [197 A.M.] houses were built on the land, and Cain built a city, and called its name after the name of his son Enoch. 10. And Adam knew Chavah his wife and she bare yet nine sons. 11. And in the fifth week of the fifth jubilee [225-31 A.M.] Seth took Azûrâ his sister to be his wife, and in the fourth (year of the sixth week) [235 A.M.] she bare him Enos. 12. He began to call on the name of the Lord on the land. 13. And in the seventh jubilee in the third week [309-15 A.M.] Enos took Nôâm his sister to be his wife, and she bare him a son in the third year of the fifth week, and he called his name Cainan. 14. And at the close of the eighth jubilee [325, 386-3992 A.M.] Cainan took Mûalêlêth his sister to be his wife, and she bare him a son in the ninth jubilee, in the first week in the third year of this week, [395 A.M] and he called his name Mahalalel. 15. And in the second week of the tenth jubilee [449-55 A.M.] Mahalalel took unto him to wife Dinah, the daughter of Barakiel the daughter of his father’s brother, and she bare him a son in the third week in the sixth year, [461 A.M.] and he called his name Jared, for in his days the angels of the Lord descended on the land, those who are named the Watchers, that they should instruct the children of men, and that they should do judgment and uprightness on the land. 16. And in the eleventh jubilee [512-18 A.M.] Jared took to himself a woman, and her name was Baraka, the daughter of Râsûjâl, a daughter of his father’s brother, in the fourth week of this jubilee, [522 A.M.] and she bare him a son in the fifth week, in the fourth year of the jubilee, and he called his name Enoch.

11:13 And in this thirty-ninth jubilee, in the second week in the first year, [1870 A.M.] Terah took to himself a woman, and her name was ‘Edna, the daughter of ‘Abram, the daughter of his father’s sister. And in the seventh year of this week [1876 A.M.] she bare him a son, and he called his name Abram, by the name of the father of his mother; 14. for he had died before his daughter had conceived a son.

7:20 And in the twenty-eighth jubilee Noaḥ began to enjoin upon his sons’ sons the ordinances and commandments, and all the judgments that he knew, and he exhorted his sons to observe righteousness, and to cover the shame of their flesh, and to bless their Creator, and honour father and mother, and love their neighbour, and guard their souls from fornication and uncleanness and all iniquity. 21. For owing to these three things came the flood upon the land, namely, owing to the fornication wherein the Watchers against the law of their ordinances went a whoring after the daughters of men, and took themselves wives of all which they chose: and they made the beginning of uncleanness. 22. And they begat sons the Nâphîdîm, and they were all unlike, and they devoured one another: and the Giants slew the Nâphîl, and the Nâphîl slew the Eljô, and the Eljô mankind, and one man another. 23. And every one sold himself to work iniquity and to shed much blood, and the land was filled with iniquity. 24. And after this they sinned against the beasts and birds, and all that moveth and walketh on the land: and much blood was shed on the land, and every imagination and desire of men imagined vanity and evil continually. 25. And the Lord destroyed everything from off the face of the land; because of the wickedness of their deeds, and because of the blood which they had shed in the midst of the land He destroyed everything. 26. “And we were left, I and you, my sons, and everything that entered with us into the ark, and behold I see your works before me that ye do not walk in righteousness; for in the path of destruction ye have begun to walk, and ye are parting one from another, and are envious one of another, and (so it cometh) that ye are not in harmony, my sons, each with his brother. 27. For I see, and behold the demons have begun (their) seductions against you and against your children, and now I fear on your behalf, that after my death ye will shed the blood of men upon the land, and that ye, too, will be destroyed from the face of the land.

9:14 And thus the sons of Noaḥ divided unto their sons in the face of Noaḥ their father, and he bound them all by an oath, imprecating a curse on every one that sought to seize the portion which had not fallen (to him) by his lot. 15. And they all said, “So be it; so be it,” for themselves and their sons for ever throughout their generations till the day of judgment, on which the Lord Elohim will judge them with a sword and with fire, for all the unclean wickedness of their errors, wherewith they have filled the land with transgression and uncleanness and fornication and sin.

10:1 And in the third week of this jubilee the unclean demons began to lead astray the children of the sons of Noaḥ; and to make to err and destroy them. 2. And the sons of Noaḥ came to Noaḥ their father, and they told him concerning the demons which were, leading astray and blinding and slaying his sons’ sons. 3. And he prayed before the Lord his Elohim, and said: Elohim of the spirits of all flesh, who hast shown mercy unto me, And hast saved me and my sons from the waters of the flood, And hast not caused me to perish as Thou didst the sons of perdition; For Thy grace hath been great towards me, And great hath been Thy mercy to my soul; Let Thy grace be lift up upon my sons, And let not wicked spirits rule over them Lest they should destroy them from the land. 4. But do Thou bless me and my sons, that we may increase and multiply and replenish the land. 5. And Thou knowest how Thy Watchers, the fathers of these spirits, acted in my day: and as for these spirits which are living, imprison them and hold them fast in the place of condemnation, and let them not bring destruction on the sons of thy servant, my Elohim; for these are malignant, and created in order to destroy. 6. And let them not rule over the spirits of the living; for Thou alone canst exercise dominion over them. And let them not have power over the sons of the righteous from henceforth and for evermore.” 7. And the Lord our Elohim bade us to bind all. 8. And the chief of the spirits, Mastêmâ, came and said: “Lord, Creator, let some of them remain before me, and let them hearken to my voice, and do all that I will say unto them; for if some of them are not left to me, I will not be able to execute the power of my will on the sons of men; for these are for corruption and leading astray before my judgment, for great is the wickedness of the sons of men.” 9. And He said: “Let the tenth part of them remain before him, and let nine parts descend into the place of condemnation.” 10. And one of us He commanded that we should teach Noaḥ all their medicines; for He knew that they would not walk in uprightness, nor strive in righteousness. 11. And we did according to all His words: all the malignant evil ones we bound in the place of condemnation, and a tenth part of them we left that they might be subject before Satan on the land. 12. And we explained to Noaḥ all the medicines of their diseases, together with their seductions, how he might heal them with herbs of the land. 13. And Noaḥ wrote down all things in a book as we instructed him concerning every kind of medicine. Thus the evil spirits were precluded from (hurting) the sons of Noaḥ. 14. And he gave all that he had written to Shem, his eldest son; for he loved him exceedingly above all his sons.

16:5 And in this new moon the Lord executed his judgments on Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Zeboim, and all the region of the Jordan, and He burned them with fire and brimstone, and destroyed them until this day, even as I have declared unto thee all their works, that they are wicked and sinners exceedingly, and that they defile themselves and commit fornication in their flesh, and work uncleanness on the land. 6. And, in like manner, Elohim will execute judgment on the places where they have done according to the uncleanness of the Sodomites, like unto the judgment of Sodom. 7. But Lot we saved; for Elohim remembered Abraham, and sent him out from the midst of the overthrow. 8. And he and his daughters committed sin upon the land, such as had not been on the land since the days of Adam till his time; for the man lay with his daughters. 9. And, behold, it was commanded and engraven concerning all his seed, on the heavenly tables, to remove them and root them out, and to execute judgment upon them like the judgment of Sodom, and to leave no seed of the man on land on the day of condemnation.

20:1 And in the forty-second jubilee, in the first year of the †seventh† week, Abraham called Ishmael, and his twelve sons, and Isaac and his two sons, and the six sons of Keturah, and their sons. 2. And he commanded them that they should observe the way of the Lord; that they should work righteousness, and love each his neighbour, and act on this manner amongst all men; that they should each so walk with regard to them as to do judgment and righteousness on the land. 3. That they should circumcise their sons, according to the covenant which He had made with them, and not deviate to the right hand or the left of all the paths which the Lord had commanded us; and that we should keep ourselves from all fornication and uncleanness. 4. And if any woman or maid commit fornication amongst you, burn her with fire, and let them not commit fornication with her after their eyes and their heart; and let them not take to themselves wives from the daughters of Canaan; for the seed of Canaan will be rooted out of the land. 5. And he told them of the judgment of the giants, and the judgment of the Sodomites, how they had been judged on account of their wickedness, and had died on account of their fornication, and uncleanness, and mutual corruption through fornication. 6. “And guard yourselves from all fornication and uncleanness, And from all pollution of sin, Lest ye make our name a curse, And your whole life a hissing, And all your sons be destroyed by the sword, And ye become accursed like Sodom, And all your remnant as the sons of Gomorrah. 7. I implore you, my sons, love the Elohim of the heavens, And cleave ye to all His commandments. And walk not after their idols, and after their uncleannesses.

23:11 And all the generations which will arise from this time until the day of the great judgment will grow old quickly, before they complete two jubilees, and their knowledge will forsake them by reason of their old age [and all their knowledge will vanish away]. 12. And in those days, if a man live a jubilee and a half of years, they will say regarding him: “He hath lived long, and the greater part of his days are pain and sorrow and tribulation, and there is no peace: 13. For calamity followeth on calamity, and wound on wound, and tribulation on tribulation, and evil tidings on evil tidings, and illness on illness, and all evil judgments such as these, one with another, illness and overthrow, and snow and frost and ice, and fever, and chills, and torpor, and famine, and death, and sword, and captivity, and all kinds of calamities and pains.” 14. And all these will come on an evil generation, which transgresseth on the land: their works are uncleanness and fornication, and pollution and abominations. 15. Then they will say: “The days of the forefathers were many (even), unto a thousand years, and were good; but, behold, the days of our life, if a man hath lived many, are three score years and ten, and, if he is strong, four score years, and those evil and there is no peace in the days of this evil generation.” 16. And in that generation the sons will convict their fathers and their elders of sin and unrighteousness, and of the words of their mouth and the great wickednesses which they perpetrate, and concerning their forsaking the covenant which the Lord made between them and Him, that they should observe and do all His commandments and His ordinances and all His laws, without departing either to the right hand or to the left. 17. For all have done evil, and every mouth speaketh iniquity and all their works are an uncleanness and an abomination, and all their ways are pollution, uncleanness and destruction.

25:1 And in the second year of this week in this jubilee, [2109 A.M.] Rebecca called Jacob her son, and spake unto him, saying: “My son, do not take thee a woman of the daughters of Canaan, as Esau, thy brother, who took him two wives of the daughters of Canaan, and they have embittered my soul with all their unclean deeds: for all their deeds are fornication and coveting, and there is no righteousness with them, for (their deeds) are evil. 2. And I, my son, love thee exceedingly, and my heart and my affection bless thee every hour of the day and watch of the night. 3. And now, my son, hearken to my voice, and do the will of thy mother, and do not take thee a woman of the daughters of this land, but only of the house of my father, and of my father’s near kindred. Thou wilt take thee a woman of the house of my father, and the Most High Elohim will bless thee, and thy children will be a righteous generation and a holy seed.” 4. And then spake Jacob to Rebecca, his mother, and said unto her: “Behold, mother, I am nine weeks of years old, and I neither know nor have I touched any woman, nor have I betrothed myself to any, nor even think of taking me a woman of the daughters of Canaan. 5. For I remember, mother, the words of Abraham, our father, for he commanded me not to take a woman of the daughters of Canaan, but to take me a woman from the seed of my father’s house and from my near kindred. 6. I have heard before that daughters have been born to Laban, thy brother, and I have set my heart on them to take a woman from amongst them. 7. And for this reason I have guarded myself in my spirit against sinning or being corrupted in all my ways throughout all the days of my life; for with regard to coveting and fornication, Abraham, my father, gave me many commands. 8. And, despite all that he hath commanded me, these two and twenty years my brother hath striven with me, and spoken frequently to me and said: ‘My brother, take to wife a sister of my two wives’; but I refuse to do as he hath done. 9. I swear before thee, mother, that all the days of my life I will not take me a woman from the daughters of the seed of Canaan, and I will not act wickedly as my brother hath done. 10. Fear not, mother; be assured that I will do thy will and walk in uprightness, and not corrupt my ways for ever.”

30:7 And if there is any man who wisheth in Israel to give his daughter or his sister to any man who is of the seed of the Nations he will surely die, and they will stone him with stones; for he hath wrought shame in Israel; and they will burn the woman with fire, because she hath dishonoured the name of the house of her father, and she will be rooted out of Israel. 8. And let not an adulteress and no uncleanness be found in Israel throughout all the days of the generations of the land; for Israel is holy unto the Lord, and every man who hath defiled (it) will surely die: they will stone him with stones. 9. For thus hath it been ordained and written in the heavenly tables regarding all the seed of Israel: he who defileth (it) will surely die, and he will be stoned with stones. 10. And to this law there is no limit of days, and no forgiveness, nor any atonement: but the man who hath defiled his daughter will be rooted out in the midst of all Israel, because he hath given of his seed to Moloch, and wrought impiously so as to defile it.

33:1 And Jacob went and dwelt to the south of Magdaladra’ef. 4 And he went to his father Isaac, he and Leah his wife, on the new moon of the tenth new moon. 2. And Reuben saw Bilhah, Rachel’s maid, the concubine of his father, bathing in water in a secret place, and he loved her. 3. And he hid himself at night, and he entered the house of Bilhah [at night], and he found her sleeping alone on a bed in her house. 4. And he lay with her, and she awoke and saw, and behold Reuben was lying with her in the bed, and she uncovered the border of her covering and seized him, and cried out, and discovered that it was Reuben. 5. And she was ashamed because of him, and released her hand from him, and he fled. 6. And she lamented because of this thing exceedingly, and did not tell it to any one. 7. And when Jacob returned and sought her, she said unto him: “I am not clean for thee, for I have been defiled as regards thee; for Reuben hath defiled me, and hath lain with me in the night, and I was asleep, and did not discover until he uncovered my skirt and slept with me.” 8. And Jacob was exceedingly wroth with Reuben because he had lain with Bilhah, because he had uncovered his father’s skirt. 9. And Jacob did not approach her again because Reuben had defiled her. And as for any man who uncovereth his father’s skirt his deed is wicked exceedingly, for he is abominable before the Lord. 10. For this reason it is written and ordained on the heavenly tables that a man should not lie with his father’s wife, and should not uncover his father’s skirt, for this is unclean: they will surely die together, the man who lieth with his father’s wife and the woman also, for they have wrought uncleanness on the land. 11. And there will be nothing unclean before our Elohim in the nation which He hath chosen for Himself as a possession. 12. And again, it is written a second time: “Cursed he be who lieth with the woman of his father, for he hath uncovered his father’s shame”; and all the holy ones of the Lord said “So be it; so be it.” 13. And do thou, Moses, command the sons of Israel that they observe this word; for it (entaileth) a punishment of death; and it is unclean, and there is no atonement for ever to atone for the man who hath committed this, but he is to be put to death and slain, and stoned with stones, and rooted out from the midst of the people of our Elohim. 14. For to no man who doeth so in Israel is it permitted to remain alive a single day on the land, for he is abominable and unclean. 15. And let them not say: to Reuben was granted life and forgiveness after he had lain with his father’s concubine, and to her also though she had a husband, and her husband Jacob, his father, was still alive. 16. For until that time there had not been revealed the ordinance and judgment and law in its completeness for all, but in thy days (it hath been revealed) as a law of seasons and of days, and an everlasting law for the everlasting generations. 17. And for this law there is no consummation of days, and no atonement for it, but they must both be rooted out in the midst of the nation: on the day whereon they committed it they will slay them. 18. And do thou, Moses, write (it) down for Israel that they may observe it, and do according to these words, and not commit a sin unto death; for the Lord our Elohim is judge, who respecteth not persons and accepteth not gifts. 19. And tell them these words of the covenant, that they may hear and observe, and be on their guard with respect to them, and not be destroyed and rooted out of the land; for an uncleanness, and an abomination, and a contamination, and a pollution are all they who commit it on the land before our Elohim. 20. And there is no greater sin than the fornication which they commit on land; for Israel is a holy nation unto the Lord its Elohim, and a nation of inheritance, and a priestly and royal nation and for (His own) possession; and there will no such uncleanness appear in the midst of the holy nation.

39:5 And Joseph’s appearance was comely and very beautiful was his appearance, and his master’s wife lifted up her eyes and saw Joseph, and she loved him, and besought him to lie with her. 6. But he did not surrender his soul, and he remembered the Lord and the words which Jacob, his father, used to read from amongst the words of Abraham, that no man should commit fornication with a woman who hath a husband; that for him the punishment of death hath been ordained in the heavens before the Most High Elohim, and the sin will be recorded against him in the eternal books continually before the Lord. 7. And Joseph remembered these words and refused to lie with her. 8. And she besought him for a year, but he refused and would not listen.

50:1 And after this law I made known to you the days of the Sabbaths in the desert of Sin[ai], which is between Elim and Sinai. 2. And I told you of the Sabbaths of the land on Mount Sinai, and I told you of the jubilee years in the sabbaths of years: but the year thereof have I not told you till you enter the land which you are to possess. 3. And the land also will keep its sabbaths while they dwell upon it, and they will know the jubilee year. 4. Wherefore I have ordained for you the year-weeks and the years and the jubilees: there are forty-nine jubilees from the days of Adam until this day, [2410 A.M.] and one week and two years: and there are yet forty years to come [2450 A.M.] for learning the commandments of YHWH, until they pass over into the land of Canaan, crossing the Jordan to the west. 5. And the jubilees will pass by, until Israel is cleansed from all guilt of fornication, and uncleanness, and pollution, and sin, and error, and dwells with confidence in all the land, and there will be no more a Satan or any evil one, and the land will be clean from that time for evermore.

The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs is  comprised of the dying commands of the twelve sons of Jacob. It is part of the Oskan Armenian Orthodox Bible of 1666. Fragments of similar writings were found at Qumran, but opinions are divided as to whether these are the same texts.

The Testament of Judah (a portion of which is shown below) is primarily concerned with courage, monetary greed, and fornication. It begins by portraying Judah as idealistically courageous, involving bravery in front of wild beasts, as well as successful military expeditions, sometimes basing the narrative on acts that the canonical bible attributes to Jacob.

1:48 We came upon them, therefore, with wrath, and they all fled; and passing by another way, they fought my father, and he made peace with them. 49 And we did to them no hurt, and they became tributary to us, and we restored to them their spoil. 50 And I built Thamna, and my father built Pabael. 51 I was twenty years old when this war befell. And the Canaanites feared me and my brethren. 52 And I had much cattle, and I had for chief herdsman Iram the Adullamite. 53 And when I went to him I saw Parsaba, king of Adullam; and he spake unto us, and he made us a feast; and when I was heated he gave me his daughter Bathshua to wife. 54 She bare me Er, and Onan and Shelah; and two of them the Lord smote: for Shelah lived, and his children are ye.

2:10 And after these things my son Er took to wife Tamar, from Mesopotamia, a daughter of Aram. 11 Now Er was wicked, and he was in need concerning Tamar, because she was not of the land of Canaan. 12 And on the third night an angel of the Lord smote him. 13 And he had not known her according to the evil craftiness of his mother, for he did not wish to have children by her. 14 In the days of the wedding feast I gave Onan to her in marriage; and he also in wickedness knew her not, though he spent with her a year. 15 And when I threatened him he went in unto her, but he spilled the seed on the ground, according to the command of his mother, and he also died through wickedness. 16 And I wished to give Shelah also to her, but his mother did not permit it; for she wrought evil against Tamar, because she was not the daughters of Canaan, as she also herself was. 17 And I knew that the race of the Canaanites was wicked, but the impulse of youth blinded my mind. 18 And when I saw her pouring out wine, owing to the intoxication of wine I was deceived, and took her although my father had not counselled it. 19 And while I was away she went and took for Shelah a woman from Canaan. 20 And when I knew what she had done, I cursed her in the anguish of my soul. 21 And she also died through her wickedness together with her sons. 22 And after these things, while Tamar was a widow, she heard after two years that I was going up, to shear my sheep, and adorned herself in bridal array, and sat in the city Enaim by the gate. 23 For it was a law of the Amorites, that she who was about to marry should sit in fornication seven days by the gate. 24 Therefore being drunk with wine, I did not recognize her; and her beauty deceived me, through the fashion of her adorning. 25 And I turned aside to her, and said: Let me go in unto thee. 26 And she said: What wilt thou give me? And I gave her my staff, and my girdle, and the diadem of my reign in pledge. 27 And I went in unto her, and she conceived. 28 And not knowing what I had done, I wished to slay her; but she privily sent my pledges, and put me to shame. 29 And when I called her, I heard also the secret words which I spoke when lying with her in my drunkenness; and I could not slay her, because it was from the Lord. 30 For I said, Lest haply she did it in subtlety, having received the pledge from another woman. 31 But I came not again near her while I lived, because I had done this abomination in all Israel. 32 Moreover, they who were in the city said there was no harlot in the gate, because she came from another place, and sat for a while in the gate. 33 And I thought that no one knew that I had gone in to her. 34 And after this we came into Egypt to Joseph, because of the famine. 35 And I was forty and six years old, and seventy and three years lived I in Egypt.

This commentary was found in the 4th Qumran cave and consists of interpretations and further insight on how the Torah (Law) of Moses was interpreted and actually lived out during the Second-Temple period and time of Yeshua.

Fragment 11 [… a priest’s wife will ea]t her husband’s bread [… children of his household] will eat his bread. Only a whore [or a harlot may not eat the holy bread…] all the treachery which a man might practice [against the LORD…] to eat, for it is an abomination [to the LORD… whoever does not have a] master or next of kin…

Fragment 12 Concerning nakedness […] Let no man take the w[ife of his father, let him not uncover the skirt of his father. Let no one take] his brother’s daughter or the daughter of [his] si[ster… Let no] man [uncover] the nakedness of [his] mo[ther’s] sister [… no woman will e the woman of the brother of] her father or the brother of her mother […] Let no man uncover the nakedness of [his mother…] Let no man take his daughter […]

to […] because [he … and also wh]o was acting with malice [… camps of the general membership. [… And they chastised] Johanan ben Ma [(?) … ] he has a quick temper and an [evi]l eye and is also vainglorious […] […] and he [will go] to the pi[ t of hell]. They chastised Hannah Nuthus because he […] […] to turn aside the spirit of the communi[ty and] also to intermingle [Isra]el [with …] [… Joseph they chastised, who has an evil [eye] and also does not […] […] and he also loves his blood relation […] [… They chastised] Hananyah ben Sim[on…] [… and al]so he loves the good [life…]

Concerning nakedness: […] Let no man take the woman of his father, let him not uncover the skirt of his father. Let no one take ‘his brother’s daughter or the daughter of [his] sister. ..Let no] man [uncover] the nakedness of his mother’s sister |… no woman will be the woman of the brother of her father or the brother of her mother […] Let no man uncover the nakedness of [his mother …] Let no man take his daughter […]

[When he settled in] the land he called to Uzziel his younger brother [and gave] him Miriam his daughter in marriage at the age of thirty years. Then he gave a feast lasting seven [days] and he ate and drank at the feast and rejoiced.

4…The true meaning of this verse concerns the three traps of Belial about which Levi son of Jacob said that Belial would catch Israel in, so he directed them toward three kinds of righteousness. The first is fornication; the second is wealth; the third is defiling the sanctuary. Who escapes from one is caught in the next; and whoever escapes from that is caught in the other. The Shoddy-Wall-Builders who went after “Precept” —Precept is a Raver of whom it says, “they will surely rave” (Mic. 2:6)—they are caught in two traps: fornication, by taking two their lifetimes although the principle of creation is “male and female He created them” (Gen. 1:27) 5 and those who went into the ark “went into the ark two by two” (Gen. 7:9). Concerning the Leader it is written he will not multiply wives to himself (Deut. 17:17); but David had not read the sealed book of the Law in the Ark; for it was not opened in Israel from the day of the death of Eleazar and Joshua and the elders who served the goddess Ashtoret. It lay buried &ltland was not> revealed until the appearance of Zadok. Nevertheless the deeds of David were all excellent, except the murder of Uriah and Elohim forgave him for that. They also defile the sanctuary, for they do not separate clean from unclean according to the Law, and lie with a woman during her menstrual period. Furthermore they marry each man the daughter of his brothers and the daughter of his sister, although Moses said, “Unto the sister of your mother you will not draw near; she is the flesh of your mother” (Lev. 18:13). But the law of consanguinity is written for males and females alike, so if the brother’s daughter uncovers the nakedness of the brother of her father, she is the flesh <of her father>.

Josephus was born Joseph ben Mattathias in 37 AD in Jerusalem of a priestly and royal family. He excelled in his studies of Jewish law and studied with the Sadducees, Pharisees, and the Essenes, eventually aligning himself with the Pharisees. In 62 AD he went to Rome to free some imprisoned priests. After accomplishing this mission through the intercession of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, he returned to Jerusalem in 65 AD to find the country in revolt against Rome. Josephus shrewdly reinterpreted the Messianic prophecies. He predicted that Vespasian would become the ruler of the ‘entire world’. His prophecy became true in 68 AD when Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became Ceasar. As a result, Josephus was freed; he moved to Rome and became a Roman citizen, taking the Vespasian family name Flavius. Vespasian commissioned Josephus to write a history of the war, which he finished in 78 AD, the Jewish War. His second major work, the Antiquities of the Jews, was completed in 93 AD. The extant manuscripts of the book Antiquities of the Jews contain two references to Yeshua of Nazareth (18.3.3. and 20.9.1.) and one reference to the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist (18.5.2.).

3.12.1. As for adultery, Moses forbade it entirely, as esteeming it a happy thing that men should be wise in the affairs of wedlock; and that it was profitable both to cities and families that children should be known to be genuine. He also abhorred men’s lying with their mothers, as one of the greatest crimes; and the like for lying with the father’s wife, and with aunts, and sisters, and sons’ wives, as all instances of abominable wickedness. He also forbade a man to lie with his wife when she was defiled by her natural purgation: and not to come near brute beasts; nor to approve of the lying with a male, which was to hunt after unlawful pleasures on account of beauty. To those who were guilty of such insolent behavior, he ordained death for their punishment.