利未記25:35-55

25:35 「你的弟兄在你那裡若漸漸貧窮，手中缺乏，你就要幫補他，使他與你同住，像外人和寄居的一樣。
25:36 不可向他取利，也不可向他多要；只要敬畏你的上帝，使你的弟兄與你同住。
25:37 你借錢給他，不可向他取利；借糧給他，也不可向他多要。
25:38 我是耶和華─你們的上帝，曾領你們從埃及地出來，為要把迦南地賜給你們，要作你們的上帝。」
25:39 「你的弟兄若在你那裡漸漸窮乏，將自己賣給你，不可叫他像奴僕服事你。
25:40 他要在你那裡像雇工人和寄居的一樣，要服事你直到禧年。
25:41 到了禧年，他和他兒女要離開你，一同出去歸回本家，到他祖宗的地業那裡去。
25:42 因為他們是我的僕人，是我從埃及地領出來的，不可賣為奴僕。
25:43 不可嚴嚴地轄管他，只要敬畏你的上帝。
25:44 至於你的奴僕、婢女，可以從你四圍的國中買。
25:45 並且那寄居在你們中間的外人和他們的家屬，在你們地上所生的，你們也可以從其中買人；他們要作你們的產業。
25:46 你們要將他們遺留給你們的子孫為產業，要永遠從他們中間揀出奴僕；只是你們的弟兄以色列人，你們不可嚴嚴地轄管。
25:47 「住在你那裡的外人，或是寄居的，若漸漸富足，你的弟兄卻漸漸窮乏，將自己賣給那外人，或是寄居的，或是外人的宗族，
25:48 賣了以後，可以將他贖回。無論是他的弟兄，
25:49 或伯叔、伯叔的兒子，本家的近支，都可以贖他。他自己若漸漸富足，也可以自贖。
25:50 他要和買主計算，從賣自己的那年起，算到禧年；所賣的價值照著年數多少，好像工人每年的工價。
25:51 若缺少的年數多，就要按著年數從買價中償還他的贖價。
25:52 若到禧年只缺少幾年，就要按著年數和買主計算，償還他的贖價。
25:53 他和買主同住，要像每年雇的工人，買主不可嚴嚴地轄管他。
25:54 他若不這樣被贖，到了禧年，要和他的兒女一同出去。
25:55 因為以色列人都是我的僕人，是我從埃及地領出來的。我是耶和華─你們的上帝。」

³⁵ “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. ³⁶ Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. ³⁷ You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. ³⁸ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God.

³⁹ “‘If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to you, do not make them work as slaves. ⁴⁰ They are to be treated as hired workers or temporary residents among you; they are to work for you until the Year of Jubilee. ⁴¹ Then they and their children are to be released, and they will go back to their own clans and to the property of their ancestors. ⁴² Because the Israelites are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt, they must not be sold as slaves. ⁴³ Do not rule over them ruthlessly, but fear your God.

⁴⁴ “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. ⁴⁵ You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. ⁴⁶ You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

⁴⁷ “‘If a foreigner residing among you becomes rich and any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner’s clan, ⁴⁸ they retain the right of redemption after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives may redeem them: ⁴⁹ An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in their clan may redeem them. Or if they prosper, they may redeem themselves. ⁵⁰ They and their buyer are to count the time from the year they sold themselves up to the Year of Jubilee. The price for their release is to be based on the rate paid to a hired worker for that number of years. ⁵¹ If many years remain, they must pay for their redemption a larger share of the price paid for them. ⁵² If only a few years remain until the Year of Jubilee, they are to compute that and pay for their redemption accordingly. ⁵³ They are to be treated as workers hired from year to year; you must see to it that those to whom they owe service do not rule over them ruthlessly.

⁵⁴ “‘Even if someone is not redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children are to be released in the Year of Jubilee, ⁵⁵ for the Israelites belong to me as servants. They are my servants, whom I brought out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

***************

    上帝在此規定不可以讓以色列人成為奴隸，「你的弟兄若在你那裡漸漸窮乏，將自己賣給你，不可叫他像奴僕服事你。他要在你那裡像雇工人和寄居的一樣，要服事你直到禧年。到了禧年，他和他兒女要離開你，一同出去歸回本家，到他祖宗的地業那裡去。因為他們是我的僕人，是我從埃及地領出來的，不可賣為奴僕。不可嚴嚴地轄管他，只要敬畏你的上帝。」「因為以色列人都是我的僕人，是我從埃及地領出來的。我是耶和華─你們的上帝。」

    也因為這樣，耶穌對信他的猶太人說：「你們若常常遵守我的道，就真是我的門徒；你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由。」他們會回答：「我們是亞伯拉罕的後裔，從來沒有作過誰的奴僕。你怎麼說『你們必得以自由』呢？」（約翰福音8:31-33）

    當然，我們也從來沒有作過誰的奴僕，但是主耶穌說：「實實在在地告訴你們，所有犯罪的就是罪的奴僕。」（約翰福音8:34）

    所以，我們要得真正的自由就是要信靠主耶穌的名，成為上帝的兒女。如主耶穌所說：「奴僕不能永遠住在家裡；兒子是永遠住在家裡。所以天父的兒子若叫你們自由，你們就真自由了。」（約翰福音8:35-36）