11. These Levites are to be servants in my Holy Place. They may guard the gates of the Temple and serve in the Temple area. They may kill the animals for the burnt offering and the sacrifices for the people. They may stand before the people to serve them.
12. But these Levites helped the people worship their idols and caused the people of Israel to fall, so I make this promise: They will be punished for their sin, says the Lord God.
13. They will not come near me to serve as priests, nor will they come near any of my holy things or the most holy offerings. But they will be made ashamed of the things they did that I hate.
14. I will put them in charge of taking care of the Temple area, all the work that must be done in it.
15. “ ‘But the priests who are Levites and descendants of Zadok took care of my Holy Place when Israel left me, so they may come near to serve me. They may stand in my presence to offer me the fat and blood of the animals they sacrifice, says the Lord God.
16. They are the only ones who may enter my Holy Place. Only they may come near my table to serve me and take care of the things I gave them to do.
17. “ ‘When they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, they must wear linen robes. They must not wear wool to serve at the gates of the inner courtyard or in the Temple.
18. They will wear linen turbans on their heads and linen underclothes. They will not wear anything that makes them perspire.
19. When they go out into the outer courtyard to the people, they must take off their serving clothes before they go. They must leave these clothes in the holy rooms and put on other clothes. Then they will not let their holy clothes hurt the people.
20. “ ‘They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long but must keep the hair of their heads trimmed.
21. None of the priests may drink wine when they enter the inner courtyard.
22. The priests must not marry widows or divorced women. They may marry only virgins from the people of Israel or widows of priests.
23. They must teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is not holy. They must help my people know what is unclean and what is clean.
24. “ ‘In court they will act as judges. When they judge, they will follow my teachings. They must obey my laws and my rules at all my special feasts and keep my Sabbaths holy.
25. “ ‘They must not go near a dead person, making themselves unclean. But they are allowed to make themselves unclean if the dead person is their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or a sister who has not married.
26. After a priest has been made clean again, he must wait seven days.
27. Then he may go into the inner courtyard to serve in the Temple, but he must offer a sin offering for himself, says the Lord God.