Deuteronomy 17

1 You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God.

1 »Cuando le ofrezcas sacrificios al Señor tu Dios, no le sacrifiques ovejas o toros con defectos. Son un insulto para Dios tales sacrificios.

2 If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant

2–3 »Si alguien, hombre o mujer, en cualquier ciudad de la tierra que el Señor tu Dios te da, viola el pacto con Dios y adora a otros dioses, al sol, a la luna o a las estrellas, lo cual he prohibido estrictamente,

3 and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—

4 and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel,

4 primero averigua bien si el rumor es cierto. Si lo confirmas,

5 you must bring out to your gates the man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you must stone that person to death.

5 ese hombre o mujer será llevado fuera de la ciudad y lo apedrearán hasta darle muerte.

6 On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.

6 Pero no lleves a la muerte a nadie por el testimonio de una sola persona. Es necesario tener por lo menos el testimonio de dos o tres personas.

7 The hands of the witnesses shall be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. So you must purge the evil from among you.

7 Los testigos serán los primeros en arrojar las piedras, y luego lo hará el resto del pueblo. De esta manera, se purgará el mal que haya entre ustedes.

8 If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.

8 »Si surge un caso difícil (por ejemplo, si alguno es culpado de asesinato pero no hay suficiente evidencia, o si los derechos de alguno han sido violados), llevarás el caso al santuario del Señor tu Dios,

9 You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.

9 a los sacerdotes y levitas, y al juez que esté de turno en esos días, para que lleguen a una decisión.

10 You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you,

10 La sentencia de ellos será inapelable y deberá seguirse al pie de la letra.

11 according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you.

11 La sentencia que impongan deberá ser ejecutada.

12 But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.

12 Si alguien se niega a aceptar la decisión del juez señalado por el Señor para este propósito, su castigo será la muerte. Este tipo de pecadores deberá ser desarraigado de Israel.

13 Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.

13 Entonces todos oirán lo que ocurrió con el hombre que no quiso aceptar el veredicto de Dios, y tendrán temor y no se atreverán a desafiar otra vez los juicios de la corte.

14 When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”

14 »Cuando llegues a la tierra que el Señor tu Dios te da, y la hayas conquistado, y comiences a pensar: “Debiéramos tener un rey como todas las naciones que nos rodean”,

15 you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.

15 pondrás por rey al hombre que el Señor tu Dios elegirá. Será un israelita, no un extranjero.

16 But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’

16 No usará el cargo para aumentar sus posesiones de caballos, ni enviará sus hombres a Egipto para aumentar sus caballerizas porque el Señor te ha dicho: “No vuelvas a Egipto otra vez”.

17 He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.

17 No deberá tomar para sí muchas esposas porque su corazón podría apartarse del Señor, ni amontonará riquezas excesivas.

18 When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.

18 »Cuando haya sido coronado y se siente en el trono como rey, deberá copiar este libro de la ley que llevan los sacerdotes y levitas.

19 It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes.

19 Esa copia de la ley deberá estar continuamente cerca de su mano. Deberá leer ella todos los días de su vida para que aprenda a respetar al Señor su Dios y a guardar sus mandamientos.

20 Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.

20 La lectura regular de los mandamientos de Dios impedirá que se sienta superior a sus conciudadanos. También impedirá que se aparte de las leyes de Dios en lo más mínimo y le asegurará un reino bueno y duradero. Y sus hijos heredarán el trono.