Leviticus 3: The peace offering

In plain English: 'If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings (or: fellowship offerings), and he brings it from the herd, male or female, he is to offer one with no defect before Yahweh.

The Hebrew word: "Peace offerings" is shelamim, which sounds like shalom, peace. The dictionary gives it as "properly, requital, i.e. a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks".

How it is translated: This Bible says "peace" in all 84 verses that use the word. Other Bibles say "fellowship offering" or "sacrifice of well-being".

What changes: Read as a "thanks" or "well-being" offering, the name speaks of the giver's thanks and welfare, not of making peace. In this offering the fat is burned for Yahweh, and the meat is eaten (7:15 to 16), with the breast and the right thigh given to the priests (7:31 to 34).

In plain English: He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons, the priests, are to sprinkle the blood all around on the altar.

In plain English: From the sacrifice of peace offerings he is to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh: the fat that covers the insides, and all the fat that is on the insides,

In plain English: and the two kidneys with the fat on them, by the loins, and the covering (or: the lobe) of the liver, which he is to take away with the kidneys.

In plain English: Aaron's sons are to burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire. It is an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

In plain English: If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh is from the flock, male or female, he is to offer one with no defect.

In plain English: If he brings a lamb as his offering, he is to offer it before Yahweh.

In plain English: He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons are to sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.

In plain English: From the sacrifice of peace offerings he is to offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh: its fat, the whole fat tail, which he is to take off close to the backbone, the fat that covers the insides, and all the fat that is on the insides,

In plain English: and the two kidneys with the fat on them, by the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he is to take away with the kidneys.

In plain English: The priest is to burn it on the altar. It is the food (literally: bread) of the offering made by fire to Yahweh.

In plain English: If his offering is a goat, he is to offer it before Yahweh.

In plain English: He is to lay his hand on its head and kill it in front of the Tent of Meeting. The sons of Aaron are to sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.

In plain English: From it he is to offer as his offering, an offering made by fire to Yahweh: the fat that covers the insides, and all the fat that is on the insides,

In plain English: and the two kidneys with the fat on them, by the loins, and the covering of the liver, which he is to take away with the kidneys.

In plain English: The priest is to burn them on the altar. It is the food of the offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma. All the fat belongs to Yahweh.

In plain English: This is a rule forever, for all your generations, wherever you live: you must not eat any fat or any blood.'"

Good to know: The same rule comes again in 7:23 to 27 and 17:10 to 14, where the text gives the reason for blood: "the life of the flesh is in the blood".

Church tradition: Jewish food laws still forbid blood and these fats. Churches differ on whether these rules apply to Christians today. Acts 15:29 tells believers from the nations to keep away from blood.