We belong to the same family lines as the rest of our people. Our children are as good as theirs. But we’ve had to sell them off as slaves. Some of our daughters have already been made slaves. But we can’t do anything about it. That’s because our fields and vineyards now belong to others.”

我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体一样；我们的儿女与他们的儿女一般。现在我们将要使儿女作人的仆婢，我们的女儿已有为婢的；我们并无力拯救，因为我们的田地、葡萄园已经归了别人。”

现在，我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体是一样的，我们的儿女与他们的儿女没有差别。看哪，我们却要迫使儿女作人的奴婢。我们有些女儿已被抢走了，我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经归了别人。”

现在，我们的身体与我们弟兄的身体是一样的，我们的儿女与他们的儿女没有差别。看哪，我们却要迫使儿女作人的奴婢。我们有些女儿已被抢走了，我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经归了别人。”

我们和他们是同胞，我们的孩子就像他们的孩子。但现在我们的儿女要被迫成为仆婢，甚至我们的女儿有些已经沦为奴婢。我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经归别人了。”

虽然我们的身体与我们同胞的身体一样，我们的儿女与他们的儿女也相同，可是我们却要强迫自己的儿女去作仆婢，而且我们的女儿有些已经作了奴婢，我们却无能为力，因为我们的田地和葡萄园已经属于别人了。”

我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體一樣；我們的兒女與他們的兒女一般。現在我們將要使兒女作人的僕婢，我們的女兒已有為婢的；我們並無力拯救，因為我們的田地、葡萄園已經歸了別人。」

現在，我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體是一樣的，我們的兒女與他們的兒女沒有差別。看哪，我們卻要迫使兒女作人的奴婢。我們有些女兒已被搶走了，我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經歸了別人。」

現在，我們的身體與我們弟兄的身體是一樣的，我們的兒女與他們的兒女沒有差別。看哪，我們卻要迫使兒女作人的奴婢。我們有些女兒已被搶走了，我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經歸了別人。」

我們和他們是同胞，我們的孩子就像他們的孩子。但現在我們的兒女要被迫成為僕婢，甚至我們的女兒有些已經淪為奴婢。我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經歸別人了。」

雖然我們的身體與我們同胞的身體一樣，我們的兒女與他們的兒女也相同，可是我們卻要強迫自己的兒女去作僕婢，而且我們的女兒有些已經作了奴婢，我們卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已經屬於別人了。”

其實我們的骨肉就等於我們族弟兄的骨肉，我們的兒女就等於他們的兒女；然而你看，我們竟在強迫着自己的兒女去做奴婢呢；而我們的女兒已有被強迫了的，我們的手卻無能為力，因為我們的田地和葡萄園已屬於別人了。』

我身如人之身、我子如人之子、今使子女為奴、我中已有數女為婢、欲免此而無力、蓋我之田畝葡萄園、為人所有、

我及我子、與同宗何異、奚以我之子女、為人服役、我有數女為人所玷、欲拯無能、我之田園、為人所據。

我身與同族之身無異、我子女與同族之子女無異、今不得已將子女鬻為奴婢、我女早有為婢者、贖之無力、蓋我田畝葡萄園、已為人所得、

Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”

Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others.”

We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.

We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Yet now our flesh[ is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and[ some] of our daughters are brought unto bondage[ already]: neither[ is it] in our power[ to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen, and our children are just like their children, still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help, since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people.”

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

The wife of a man from the group of the prophets cried out to Elisha. She said,“ My husband is dead. You know how much respect he had for the Lord. But he owed money to someone. And now that person is coming to take my two boys away. They will become his slaves.”

“‘ Suppose any of your own people become poor. And suppose they sell themselves to you. Then do not make them work as slaves.You must treat them like hired workers. Or you must treat them like those living among you for a while. They must work for you until the Year of Jubilee.Then they and their children must be set free. They will go back to their own tribes. They will go back to the property their people have always owned.The Israelites are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. So they must not be sold as slaves.Show them pity when you rule over them. Have respect for God.

Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family.

Come. Let’s sell him to these traders. Let’s not harm him ourselves. After all, he’s our brother. He’s our own flesh and blood.” Judah’s brothers agreed with him.

Then Laban said to him,“ You are my own flesh and blood.” Jacob stayed with Laban for a whole month.

“ Here are the laws you must explain to the people of Israel.“ Suppose you buy a Hebrew servant. He must serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, you must set him free. He does not have to pay anything.If he does not have a wife when he comes, he must go free alone. But if he has a wife when he comes, she must go with him.Suppose his master gives him a wife. And suppose she has sons or daughters by him. Then only the man will go free. The woman and her children will belong to her master.“ But suppose the servant says,‘ I love my master and my wife and children. I don’t want to go free.’Then his master must take him to the judges. His master must take him to the door or doorpost of his master’s house. His master must poke a hole through his servant’s earlobe into the door or doorpost. Then he will become his servant for life.“ Suppose a man sells his daughter as a servant. Then she can’t go free as male servants do.But what if the master who has chosen her does not like her? Then he must let the man buy her back. He has no right to sell her to strangers. He has broken his promise to her.What if he chooses her to marry his son? Then he must grant her the rights of a daughter.What if her master marries another woman? He must still give the first one her food and clothes and sleep with her.If he does not provide her with those three things, she can go free. She does not have to pay anything.

The man was not able to pay. So his master gave an order. The man, his wife, his children, and all he owned had to be sold to pay back what he owed.

My dear brothers and sisters, listen to me. Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor in the world’s eyes to be rich in faith? Hasn’t he chosen them to receive the kingdom? Hasn’t he promised it to those who love him?But you have disrespected poor people. Aren’t rich people taking advantage of you? Aren’t they dragging you into court?