New American Standard Bible

Deuteronomy 15:10-21 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

10. You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.

11. For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'

12. "If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free.

13. When you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed.

14. You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you.

15. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today.

16. It shall come about if he says to you, 'I will not go out from you,' because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;

17. then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant.

18. "It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man; so the Lord your God will bless you in whatever you do.

19. "You shall consecrate to the Lord your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.

20. You and your household shall eat it every year before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses.

21. But if it has any defect, such as lameness or blindness, or any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.