Our Father Speaks to Moses and Aaron
13 1 Our Father spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2 When someone has a swelling, rash, or bright spot on their skin that turns into a skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or one of his priest sons. a a v2 The skin condition described here is not the modern disease called leprosy (Hansen's disease); it covers a range of spreading skin, fabric, and surface conditions that made a person ceremonially unclean. 3 The priest examines the mark on the skin. If the hair in it has turned white and it looks deeper than the skin, it is a contaminating skin disease; the priest examines him and declares him unclean. 4 But if the bright spot on his skin is white, not deeper than the skin, and its hair hasn't turned white, the priest must isolate the person seven days. 5 On the seventh day the priest examines him; if the mark hasn't changed or spread on the skin, he isolates him seven more days. 6 On the seventh day the priest examines him again. If the sore faded and didn't spread on the skin, he declares him clean—just a rash. He washes his clothes and is clean. 7 But if the rash spreads on his skin after showing himself to the priest for cleansing, he must show himself to the priest again. 8 The priest examines him: if the rash has spread on the skin, he declares him unclean—it is a skin disease.
9 When a defiling skin disease appears on someone, he shall be brought to the priest. 10 The priest examines him: if a white swelling on the skin has turned the hair white, with raw flesh in it, 11 It is a chronic skin disease; the priest will pronounce him unclean. He must not isolate him, since he is unclean.
12 But if the disease breaks out and covers all his skin, head to foot, wherever the priest looks, 13 The priest examines him; if the disease covers his whole body, he pronounces him clean — since it's all turned white, he is clean. 14 But on the day raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. 15 The priest sees the raw flesh and pronounces him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean—a skin disease. 16 But if the raw flesh changes and turns white, he shall come to the priest. 17 The priest examines him; if the mark has turned white, he declares him clean—he is clean.
18 When someone has a boil on their skin and it heals, 19 If a white swelling or reddish-white bright spot forms on the boil, show it to the priest. 20 The priest examines it; if it looks lower than the skin and the hair has turned white, he pronounces him unclean — a skin disease has broken out in the boil. 21 But if the priest sees no white hair in it, it is not below the skin, and has faded, he shall isolate him seven days. 22 If it spreads further on the skin, the priest declares him unclean; it is diseased. 23 But if the bright spot stays put, hasn't spread, it's the scar of the boil, and the priest must pronounce him clean.
24 Or when skin has a fire burn, and the burn's raw flesh becomes a reddish-white or white bright spot, 25 The priest examines it: if hair in the bright spot turned white and it looks deeper than the skin, it is a skin disease broken out in the burn — he declares him unclean; it is a skin disease. 26 If the priest examines it and finds no white hair in the bright spot, and it's no deeper than the skin but faded, he shall isolate him seven days. 27 On day seven the priest examines him. If it spread on the skin, the priest pronounces him unclean—a defiling skin disease. 28 But if the bright spot stays in place, hasn't spread on the skin, and has faded, it's the burn's swelling; the priest shall declare him clean—it is only the burn's scar.
29 When a man or a woman has a mark on the head or in the beard, 30 The priest examines the mark; if deeper than the skin, with thin yellow hair, he pronounces them unclean — an itch, a skin disease of the head or beard. 31 But if the priest examines the itch mark and it looks no deeper than the skin and has no black hair in it, the priest shall isolate the person for seven days. 32 On the seventh day the priest examines the mark: if the itch hasn't spread, has no yellow hair, and looks no deeper than the skin, 33 The man shall shave, but not the sore area; the priest isolates him another seven days. 34 On the seventh day the priest examines the itch. If it hasn't spread on the skin and looks no deeper than the skin, the priest declares him clean. He washes his clothes and is clean. 35 But if the itch spreads further on the skin after his cleansing, 36 The priest examines him; if the itch spread on the skin, the priest need not look for yellow hair — the man is unclean. 37 But if the priest sees it unchanged, with black hair grown in it, it's healed; he's clean — the priest pronounces him clean.
38 When a man or a woman has white bright spots on their skin, 39 the priest examines them; if the bright spots on their skin are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; he is clean.
40 When a man loses the hair on his head, he is bald, but he is clean. 41 If hair falls from the front of his head, his forehead is bald, but he is clean. 42 But if a reddish-white sore is on his bald head or forehead, it is a skin disease breaking out on his bald head or forehead. 43 The priest examines him; if a reddish-white swelling is on his bald head or forehead, like skin disease on the body's skin, 44 A man with a skin disease is unclean; the priest must declare him unclean, his mark on his head.
45 Anyone with the skin disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair hang loose, cover their upper lip, and cry, 'Unclean, unclean!' b b v45 Covering the upper lip was an ancient sign of mourning and of being cut off from the community. 46 While the mark remains, they are unclean—unclean; they must live alone, outside the camp.
Mildew in Garments
47 When a garment has a mark of mildew in it, whether a wool or a linen garment, 48 in fabric of linen or wool, woven or knitted, or in leather or anything of leather, 49 If a mark on garment, leather, warp, or weft, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is mildew and must be shown to the priest. 50 The priest shall examine the mark and isolate the affected article for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he examines the mark. If it has spread in the garment, warp or weft, or in leather or anything made of leather, it is destructive mildew—unclean. 52 Burn the garment—warp or weft, wool or linen—or any leather article with the mark, for it is a destructive mildew; burn it in the fire.
53 But if the priest examines it and the sore hasn't spread in the garment, or warp, or weft, or any leather article, 54 the priest will order the marked article washed, and isolate it another seven days. 55 After the affected fabric is washed, the priest examines it. If the mark's look hasn't changed, though it hasn't spread, it is unclean. Burn it in the fire—it is a corroding spot, inside or outside. 56 If the priest sees the mark has faded after washing, he must tear it from the garment, leather, or woven or knitted material. 57 If it reappears in the garment, woven or knitted, or any leather, it's spreading; burn what has the mark in fire. 58 But if the mark leaves the garment, warp, weft, or leather item you washed, wash it again — it is clean.
59 This is the law for a mildew mark on a wool or linen garment, warp or weft, or any leather item — to pronounce it clean or unclean.
