The LORD spoke to Moses and said, "Tell Aaron and his sons to treat the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me with the utmost respect, so that my holy name will not be profaned. I am the LORD.
For generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean yet comes near the sacred offerings, that person must be cut off from my presence. If a descendant of Aaron has an infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is fully cleansed.
He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse, anyone with an emission of semen, a crawling creature that causes uncleanness, or any person who makes him unclean. Anyone who touches such things will remain unclean until evening and must bathe before eating the sacred offerings, for they are his food. Anything found dead or torn by wild animals must never be eaten. I am the LORD.
The priests must obey these requirements so they do not bring guilt upon themselves or die for treating the offerings with contempt. No one outside the priestly family may eat the sacred offerings—not guests, not hired workers. But a slave bought by a priest or born in his household may eat his food.
If a priest's daughter marries outside the priesthood, she may not eat any sacred offerings. If she becomes a widow or is divorced without children and returns to her father's house, she may eat of her father's food, but no unauthorized person may eat of it.
If anyone eats a sacred offering by mistake, they must make full restitution to the priest and add a fifth of its value. Priests must not allow anyone to desecrate the sacred offerings, or guilt will come upon them. I am the LORD, who makes them holy.
The LORD continued, "Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all Israelites: When presenting a gift for a burnt offering—whether to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering—you must bring a male without defect from the cattle, sheep, or goats. Do not bring anything with a defect, for it will not be accepted.
Fellowship offerings, whether for a special vow or freewill, must also be without defect. Do not offer blind, maimed, or injured animals, or any with warts, festering, or running sores. These must not touch the altar as offerings by fire.
You may offer deformed or stunted animals as freewill offerings, but they cannot fulfill a vow. Animals with bruised, torn, or cut testicles must not be offered, nor should you accept such animals from foreigners. They will not be accepted because of their defects.
When a calf, lamb, or goat is born, it must stay with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day onward, it may be offered by fire to the LORD. Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.
When offering a thank offering, sacrifice it in a way that it will be accepted. It must be eaten that day; none should remain until morning. Keep my commands and follow them. Do not profane my holy name. I am the LORD, who makes you holy and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD."