“So you must obey my laws and rules. You must not do any of those terrible sins. Those rules are for the citizens of Israel, and they are for the people living among you!
There were men who served other gods by selling their bodies for sex. [178] So the people of Judah did many bad things. The people that had lived in the land before them did those same evil things. And God took the land away from those people and gave it to the people of Israel.
“I (God) will be against any person who eats blood. It does not matter if that person is a citizen of Israel or if that person is a foreigner living among you! I will separate that person from his people.
Other people have done those terrible sins. But you must obey my laws! You must not do any of those terrible sins! Don’t make yourself filthy with those terrible sins! I am the Lord your God.”
And what is the seed that fell on the good ground? That is like the people that hear God’s teaching with a good, honest heart. They obey God’s teaching and patiently make good fruit.
And you must obey his laws and commands that I give you today. Then everything will go well with you and your children who live after you. And you will live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving you—it will be yours forever!”