Offerings that the Lord will not accept
17 The Lord said to Moses, 18 ‘Say this to Aaron, to his sons and to all the people. If any person gives a gift to the Lord, 19 he must give a bull, a sheep or a goat. The gift may be for a promise, or to thank God for something or for a friendship offering. The animal must be perfect. 20 They must not give any animal that is not perfect. The Lord will not accept that animal. 21 When a person brings an animal to the Lord as a special gift, it must be perfect. If it is, God will accept it. 22 A person must not give to the Lord an animal that cannot see. The animal must not have a skin disease. And pus must not be coming from its body. The person must not burn an animal to the Lord on the altar that is not perfect. 23 A person may give a bull or a sheep with a body that is the wrong shape. He can use it as an offering to eat with his friends (friendship offering). But God will not take this animal as a gift for a promise. That gift must be perfect. You must not put on the altar an animal that is not perfect. 24 A person must not give a gift to the Lord of an animal that has something wrong with its testicles. 25 This rule is for Israel's people. You must not take animals from foreigners and then offer them to God as sacrifices. God will not accept them on your behalf, because animals like that are not perfect.’
26 The Lord said to Moses, 27 ‘When a cow or a sheep or a goat is born, it must stay with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day the people can give it as a burnt offering to the Lord. 28 They must not kill a cow or a sheep and its baby on the same day.
29 When they sacrifice an animal to thank the Lord, they must sacrifice it in the proper way. This will give the Lord pleasure. 30 They must eat it on the day that they kill it. They must not keep any of it until the next day. I am the Lord.
31 The people must obey my rules. I am the Lord. 32 They must give honour to my holy name. My people must believe that I am holy. I am the Lord. I make people holy. 33 I brought you out of Egypt and I became your God. I am the Lord.’