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"Give the Israelites the following laws:
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If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay anything.
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If he was unmarried when he became your slave, he is not to take a wife with him when he leaves; but if he was married when he became your slave, he may take his wife with him.
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If his master gave him a wife and she bore him sons or daughters, the woman and her children belong to the master, and the man is to leave by himself.
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But if the slave declares that he loves his master, his wife, and his children and does not want to be set free,
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then his master shall take him to the place of worship. There he is to make him stand against the door or the doorpost and put a hole through his ear. Then he will be his slave for life.
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"If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be set free, as male slaves are.
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If she is sold to someone who intends to make her his wife, but he doesn't like her, then she is to be sold back to her father; her master cannot sell her to foreigners, because he has treated her unfairly.
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If a man buys a female slave to give to his son, he is to treat her like a daughter.
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If a man takes a second wife, he must continue to give his first wife the same amount of food and clothing and the same rights that she had before.
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If he does not fulfill these duties to her, he must set her free and not receive any payment.
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"Whoever hits someone and kills him is to be put to death.
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But if it was an accident and he did not mean to kill him, he can escape to a place which I will choose for you, and there he will be safe.
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But when someone gets angry and deliberately kills someone else, he is to be put to death, even if he has run to my altar for safety.
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"Whoever hits his father or his mother is to be put to death.
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"Whoever kidnaps someone, either to sell him or to keep him as a slave, is to be put to death.
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"Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death.
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"If there is a fight and someone hits someone else with a stone or with his fist, but does not kill him, he is not to be punished. If the one who was hit has to stay in bed, but later is able to get up and walk outside with the help of a cane, the one who hit him is to pay for his lost time and take care of him until he gets well.
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"If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished.
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But if the slave does not die for a day or two, the master is not to be punished. The loss of his property is punishment enough.
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"If some men are fighting and hurt a pregnant woman so that she loses her child, but she is not injured in any other way, the one who hurt her is to be fined whatever amount the woman's husband demands, subject to the approval of the judges.
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But if the woman herself is injured, the punishment shall be life for life,
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eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
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burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
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"If someone hits his male or female slave in the eye and puts it out, he is to free the slave as payment for the eye.
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If he knocks out a tooth, he is to free the slave as payment for the tooth.
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"If a bull gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but its owner is not to be punished.
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But if the bull had been in the habit of attacking people and its owner had been warned, but did not keep it penned up---then if it gores someone to death, it is to be stoned, and its owner is to be put to death also.
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However, if the owner is allowed to pay a fine to save his life, he must pay the full amount required.
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If the bull kills a boy or a girl, the same rule applies.
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If the bull kills a male or female slave, its owner shall pay the owner of the slave thirty pieces of silver, and the bull shall be stoned to death.
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"If someone takes the cover off a pit or if he digs one and does not cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,
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he must pay for the animal. He is to pay the money to the owner and may keep the dead animal.
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If someone's bull kills someone else's bull, the two of them shall sell the live bull and divide the money; they shall also divide up the meat from the dead animal.
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But if it was known that the bull had been in the habit of attacking and its owner did not keep it penned up, he must make good the loss by giving the other man a live bull, but he may keep the dead animal.
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"If someone steals a cow or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he must pay five cows for one cow and four sheep for one sheep.
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He must pay for what he stole. If he owns nothing, he shall be sold as a slave to pay for what he has stolen. If the stolen animal, whether a cow, a donkey, or a sheep, is found alive in his possession, he shall pay two for one. "If a thief is caught breaking into a house at night and is killed, the one who killed him is not guilty of murder. But if it happens during the day, he is guilty of murder.
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"If someone lets his animals graze in a field or a vineyard and they stray away and eat up the crops growing in someone else's field, he must make good the loss with the crops from his own fields or vineyards.
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"If someone starts a fire in his own field and it spreads through the weeds to someone else's field and burns up grain that is growing or that has been cut and stacked, the one who started the fire is to pay for the damage.
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"If anyone agrees to keep someone else's money or other valuables for him and they are stolen from his house, the thief, if found, shall repay double.
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But if the thief is not found, the one who was keeping the valuables is to be brought to the place of worship and there he must take an oath that he has not stolen the other one's property.
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"In every case of a dispute about property, whether it involves cattle, donkeys, sheep, clothing, or any other lost object, the two people claiming the property shall be taken to the place of worship. The one whom God declares to be guilty shall pay double to the other one.
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"If anyone agrees to keep someone else's donkey, cow, sheep, or other animal for him, and the animal dies or is injured or is carried off in a raid, and if there was no witness,
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the man must go to the place of worship and take an oath that he has not stolen the other man's animal. If the animal was not stolen, the owner shall accept the loss, and the other man need not repay him;
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but if the animal was stolen, the man must repay the owner.
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If it was killed by wild animals, the man is to bring the remains as evidence; he need not pay for what has been killed by wild animals.
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"If anyone borrows an animal from someone else and it is injured or dies when its owner is not present, he must pay for it.
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But if that happens when the owner is present, he need not repay. If it is a rented animal, the loss is covered by the rental price.
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"If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, he must pay the bride price for her and marry her.
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But if her father refuses to let him marry her, he must pay the father a sum of money equal to the bride price for a virgin.
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"Put to death any woman who practices magic.
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"Put to death any man who has sexual relations with an animal.
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"Condemn to death anyone who offers sacrifices to any god except to me, the LORD.
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"Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner; remember that you were foreigners in Egypt.
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Do not mistreat any widow or orphan.
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If you do, I, the LORD, will answer them when they cry out to me for help,
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and I will become angry and kill you in war. Your wives will become widows, and your children will be fatherless.
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"If you lend money to any of my people who are poor, do not act like a moneylender and require him to pay interest.
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If you take someone's cloak as a pledge that he will pay you, you must give it back to him before the sun sets,
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because it is the only covering he has to keep him warm. What else can he sleep in? When he cries out to me for help, I will answer him because I am merciful.
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"Do not speak evil of God, and do not curse a leader of your people.
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"Give me the offerings from your grain, your wine, and your olive oil when they are due. "Give me your first-born sons.
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Give me the first-born of your cattle and your sheep. Let the first-born male stay with its mother for seven days, and on the eighth day offer it to me.
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"You are my people, so you must not eat the meat of any animal that has been killed by wild animals; instead, give it to the dogs.
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Help us, LORD! There is not a good person left; honest people can no longer be found.
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All of them lie to one another; they deceive each other with flattery.
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Silence those flattering tongues, O LORD! Close those boastful mouths that say,
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"With our words we get what we want. We will say what we wish, and no one can stop us."
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"But now I will come," says the LORD, "because the needy are oppressed and the persecuted groan in pain. I will give them the security they long for."
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The promises of the LORD can be trusted; they are as genuine as silver refined seven times in the furnace.
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The wicked are everywhere, and everyone praises what is evil. Keep us always safe, O LORD, and preserve us from such people.
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Peter and John were still speaking to the people when some priests, the officer in charge of the Temple guards, and some Sadducees arrived.
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They were annoyed because the two apostles were teaching the people that Jesus had risen from death, which proved that the dead will rise to life.
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So they arrested them and put them in jail until the next day, since it was already late.
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But many who heard the message believed; and the number grew to about five thousand.
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The next day the Jewish leaders, the elders, and the teachers of the Law gathered in Jerusalem.
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They met with the High Priest Annas and with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and the others who belonged to the High Priest's family.
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They made the apostles stand before them and asked them, "How did you do this? What power do you have or whose name did you use?"
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Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, answered them, "Leaders of the people and elders:
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if we are being questioned today about the good deed done to the lame man and how he was healed,
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then you should all know, and all the people of Israel should know, that this man stands here before you completely well through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth---whom you crucified and whom God raised from death.
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Jesus is the one of whom the scripture says, 'The stone that you the builders despised turned out to be the most important of all.'
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Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us."
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The members of the Council were amazed to see how bold Peter and John were and to learn that they were ordinary men of no education. They realized then that they had been companions of Jesus.
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But there was nothing that they could say, because they saw the man who had been healed standing there with Peter and John.
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So they told them to leave the Council room, and then they started discussing among themselves.
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"What shall we do with these men?" they asked. "Everyone in Jerusalem knows that this extraordinary miracle has been performed by them, and we cannot deny it.
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But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn these men never again to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus."
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So they called them back in and told them that under no condition were they to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus.
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But Peter and John answered them, "You yourselves judge which is right in God's sight---to obey you or to obey God.
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For we cannot stop speaking of what we ourselves have seen and heard."
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So the Council warned them even more strongly and then set them free. They saw that it was impossible to punish them, because the people were all praising God for what had happened.
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The man on whom this miracle of healing had been performed was over forty years old.
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As soon as Peter and John were set free, they returned to their group and told them what the chief priests and the elders had said.
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When the believers heard it, they all joined together in prayer to God: "Master and Creator of heaven, earth, and sea, and all that is in them!
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By means of the Holy Spirit you spoke through our ancestor David, your servant, when he said, 'Why were the Gentiles furious; why did people make their useless plots?
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The kings of the earth prepared themselves, and the rulers met together against the Lord and his Messiah.'
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For indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together in this city with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Jesus, your holy Servant, whom you made Messiah.
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They gathered to do everything that you by your power and will had already decided would happen.
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And now, Lord, take notice of the threats they have made, and allow us, your servants, to speak your message with all boldness.
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Reach out your hand to heal, and grant that wonders and miracles may be performed through the name of your holy Servant Jesus."
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When they finished praying, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim God's message with boldness.
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The group of believers was one in mind and heart. None of them said that any of their belongings were their own, but they all shared with one another everything they had.
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With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God poured rich blessings on them all.
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There was no one in the group who was in need. Those who owned fields or houses would sell them, bring the money received from the sale,
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and turn it over to the apostles; and the money was distributed according to the needs of the people.
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And so it was that Joseph, a Levite born in Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means "One who Encourages"),
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sold a field he owned, brought the money, and turned it over to the apostles.
