Leviticus 18 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 18:21, 18:25, 18:28
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Chapter 18
The holy life and forbidden unions
The laws by which to live · 18:1–5
Verse 18:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:1 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Classification & Notes
Same. The speech formula corresponds.
Verse 18:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:2 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them: I am YHWH your God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:2 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them: I am the Lord your God.
Classification & Notes
Same. The divine identification corresponds.
Verse 18:3 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:3 You shall not act according to the practices of the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not act according to the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:3 You shall not act according to the practices of the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not act according to the practices of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes.
Classification & Notes
Same. The contrast of Israel’s conduct with Egypt and Canaan corresponds.
Verse 18:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:4 You shall carry out My judgments and keep My statutes, walking in them. I am YHWH your God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:4 You shall carry out My judgments and keep My ordinances, walking in them. I am the Lord your God.
Classification & Notes
Same. The obligations correspond.
Verse 18:5 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:5 You shall keep My statutes and My judgments; the person who does them shall live by them. I am YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:5 You shall keep all My ordinances and all My judgments and do them; the person who does them shall live by them. I am the Lord your God.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek adds all twice, an explicit doing clause, and your God.
Saints reception — quotation. Paul cites Moses’ statement about the person who does the righteousness of the law living by it. His argument in Romans is reception of the verse and does not supply additional wording for either column. Romans 10:5
Forbidden relationships · 18:6–18
Verse 18:6 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:6 None of you shall approach any close relative of his flesh to uncover nakedness. I am YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:6 No person shall approach any relative of his flesh to uncover nakedness. I am the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Same. Uncovering nakedness is the shared sexual euphemism; the Greek word also carries a shame or indecency nuance.
Verse 18:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:7 You shall not uncover your father’s nakedness or your mother’s nakedness. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:7 You shall not uncover your father’s nakedness or your mother’s nakedness. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness.
Classification & Notes
Same. The prohibition corresponds; the relation of the father phrase to the mother phrase calls for contextual interpretation.
Verse 18:8 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:8 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.
Classification & Notes
Same. The kinship identification corresponds.
Verse 18:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:9 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born outside.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:9 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born outside.
Classification & Notes
Same. The stated family alternatives correspond.
Verse 18:10 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:10 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for theirs is your nakedness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:10 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for theirs is your nakedness.
Classification & Notes
Same. The descendant prohibition corresponds.
Verse 18:11 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:11 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father; she is your sister.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:11 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter. She is your sister by the same father; you shall not uncover her nakedness.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek repeats the prohibition at the end; shared paternity is expressed adjectivally.
Verse 18:12 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:12 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s close relative.
Classification & Notes
Same. The paternal-aunt prohibition corresponds.
Verse 18:13 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister; she is your mother’s close relative.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:13 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister; she is your mother’s close relative.
Classification & Notes
Same. The maternal-aunt prohibition corresponds.
Verse 18:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother; you shall not approach his wife. She is your aunt.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:14 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, and you shall not go in to his wife. She is your relative.
Classification & Notes
Different. Aunt / relative; approach / go in to.
Verse 18:15 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:15 You shall not uncover your daughter-in-law’s nakedness. She is your son’s wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:15 You shall not uncover your daughter-in-law’s nakedness. She is your son’s wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness.
Classification & Notes
Same. The prohibition corresponds.
Verse 18:16 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:16 You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness.
Classification & Notes
Same. The prohibition corresponds; its relationship to levirate marriage is an interpretive question, not a Hebrew–Greek difference here.
Verse 18:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are close relatives. It is a wicked scheme.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:17 You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter. You shall not take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover their nakedness; they are your relatives. It is an act of impiety.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek explicitly says your relatives where Hebrew says close relatives. Greek has their nakedness where Hebrew has her nakedness; wicked scheme becomes impiety.
Verse 18:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:18 You shall not take a woman in addition to her sister as a rival, to uncover her nakedness alongside her while she is alive.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:18 You shall not take a woman in addition to her sister as a rival, to uncover her nakedness alongside her while she is alive.
Classification & Notes
Same. The living sister and rivalry condition corresponds.
Other prohibited acts · 18:19–23
Verse 18:19 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:19 You shall not approach a woman in her menstrual uncleanness to uncover her nakedness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:19 You shall not approach a woman in separation for her uncleanness to uncover her nakedness.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Both refer to the separation condition; the Hebrew is rendered contextually as menstrual.
Verse 18:20 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:20 You shall not lie with your neighbor’s wife to emit semen and become defiled through her.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:20 You shall not lie with your neighbor’s wife to emit semen and become defiled through her.
Classification & Notes
Same. The adultery prohibition corresponds.
Verse 18:21 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:21 You shall not give any of your offspring to be passed over to Molech, and you shall not profane the name of your God. I am YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:21 You shall not give any of your offspring to serve a ruler, and you shall not profane the holy name. I am the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Molech and passing over / a ruler and serving changes the stated recipient and act. Greek also has holy name rather than name of your God. Fire is not explicitly named in either selected verse and is not inserted into the translation.
Verse 18:22 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:22 You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:22 You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination.
Classification & Notes
Same. The selected texts correspond in this prohibition. Neither uses an age-specific word meaning boy; broader historical or doctrinal applications belong in interpretation.
Verse 18:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:23 You shall not lie with any animal and become defiled through it. A woman shall not stand before an animal to mate with it; it is a perversion.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:23 You shall not lie with any four-footed animal for insemination and become defiled through it. A woman shall not stand before any four-footed animal to be mounted; it is detestable.
Classification & Notes
Different. Greek specifies four-footed animals and insemination; the concluding characterization differs.
The land and the consequences of defilement · 18:24–30
Verse 18:24 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:24 Do not defile yourselves by any of these things, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you became defiled.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:24 Do not defile yourselves by any of these things, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you became defiled.
Classification & Notes
Same. The warning and rationale correspond.
Verse 18:25 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:25 The land became defiled, and I visited its iniquity upon it, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:25 The land became defiled, and I repaid them for wrongdoing because of it, and the land became indignant with those settled upon it.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Hebrew describes judgment upon the land and its vomiting out inhabitants; Greek describes repayment to them and the land’s indignation. The expressed agents and result differ materially.
Verse 18:26 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:26 But you shall keep My statutes and My judgments and do none of these abominations, neither the native nor the resident foreigner living among you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:26 You shall keep all My ordinances and all My commands and do none of these abominations, neither the local inhabitant nor the newcomer who has joined you.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Greek includes all twice; resident terminology differs.
Verse 18:27 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:27 For the people of the land who were before you did all these abominations, and the land became defiled.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:27 For the people of the land who were before you did all these abominations, and the land became defiled.
Classification & Notes
Same. The preceding inhabitants’ conduct and the land’s defilement correspond.
Verse 18:28 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:28 so that the land does not vomit you out when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation before you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:28 so that the land does not become indignant with you when you defile it, as it became indignant with the nations before you.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Vomiting out / indignation again changes the stated consequence; Hebrew’s nation is singular, Greek’s nations plural.
Verse 18:29 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:29 For whoever does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be cut off from among their people.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:29 For whoever does any of these abominations, the persons who do them shall be destroyed from among their people.
Classification & Notes
Different. Cut off / destroyed; the sanction remains grave in both.
Verse 18:30 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
18:30 Keep My charge, so that you do none of the abominable practices done before you, and do not defile yourselves by them. I am YHWH your God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
18:30 Keep My ordinances, so that you do none of the abominable practices that occurred before you, and do not become defiled by them, for I am the Lord your God.
Classification & Notes
Similar. The closing charge corresponds.