1上主訓示梅瑟和亞郎說： 1And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
2「這是上主製定的法律，他這樣命令說：你吩咐以色列子民，給你牽一頭無瑕，身上沒有殘缺，且沒有負過軛的紅母牛來。 2This is the observance of the victim, which the Lord hath ordained. Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee a red cow of full age, in which there is no blemish, and which hath not carried the yoke:
3你們應將牛交給厄肋阿匝爾司祭，牽到營外，在他面前殺了。 3And you shall deliver her to Eleazar the priest, who shall bring her forth without the camp, and shall immolate her in the sight of all:
4厄肋阿匝爾司祭用手指蘸些牛血，七次向會幕的前面灑血。 4And dipping his finger in her blood, shall sprinkle it over against the door of the tabernacle seven times,
5以後在他眼前將牛焚燒；牛的皮、肉、血連糞，一起焚燒。 5And shall burn her in the sight of all, delivering up to the fire her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, and her dung.
6同時司祭應取香柏木、牛膝草和朱紅線，扔在燒牛的火內。 6The priest shall also take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet twice dyed, and cast it into the flame, with which the cow is consumed.
7以後司祭應洗自己的衣服，用水洗身，然後纔可以回營；但直到晚上，司祭仍然不潔。 7And then after washing his garments, and body, he shall enter into the camp, and shall be unclean until the evening.
8那焚燒牛的人，也應洗自己的衣服，用水洗身，但直到晚上仍然不潔。 8He also that hath burned her, shall wash his garments, and his body, and shall be unclean until the evening.
9另一位潔凈的人收起牛灰，放在營外潔凈的地方，為以色列子民會眾留下作取潔水之用，因為這原是贖罪祭。 9And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the cow, and shall pour them forth without the camp in a most clean place, that they may be reserved for the multitude of the children of Israel, and for a water of aspersion: because the cow was burnt for sin.
10那收斂牛灰的人，應洗自己的衣服，且直到晚上不潔：這為以色列子民和僑居在你們中的外方人，是一條永久的法律。 10And when he that carried the ashes of the cow, hath washed his garments, he shall be unclean until the evening. The children of Israel, and the strangers that dwell among them, shall observe this for a holy thing by a perpetual ordinance.
11凡摸了任何人屍體的，七天之久不潔。 11He that toucheth the corpse of a man, and is therefore unclean seven days,
12第三日和第七日，他應用那水取潔，他纔潔凈；若在第三日和第七日上不取潔，他仍然不潔。 12Shall be sprinkled with this water on the third day, and on the seventh, and so shall be cleansed. If he were not sprinkled on the third day, he cannot be cleansed on the seventh.
13任何人摸了屍首，即死人的身體，而不取潔，便玷污了上主的居所，這人應由以色列中剷除，因為取潔水沒有灑在他身上，他仍然不潔，不潔仍留在他身上。 13Every one that toucheth the corpse of a man, and is not sprinkled with mixture, shall profane the tabernacle of the Lord, and shall perish out of Israel: because he was not sprinkled with the water of expiation, he shall be unclean, and his uncleanness shall remain upon him.
14幾時在帳幕內死了一人，有這樣的規定：凡進這帳幕，和所有在帳幕的人，七天之久不潔； 14This is the law of a man that dieth in a tent: All that go into his tent and all the vessels that are there, shall be unclean seven days.
15一切開著口，沒有蓋上蓋的器皿，都成了不潔的。 15The vessel that hath no cover, nor binding over it, shall be unclean.
16凡在田野間摸了一個為刀所害，或自死的人，或人的骨骸，或墳墓的人，七天之久不潔。 16If any man in the field touch the corpse of a man that was slain, or that died of himself, or his bone, or his grave, he shall be unclean seven days.
17為這樣不潔的人，應取些贖罪祭燒成的灰，放在一器皿內，倒上活水。 17And they shall take of the ashes of the burning and of the sin offering, and shall pour living waters upon them into a vessel.
18然後一潔凈的人拿牛膝草浸在水內，灑在帳幕上和其內的一切器皿並人身上，以及灑在那摸過骨骸或被害死的，或自死的，或墳墓的人身上。 18And a man that is clean shall dip hyssop in them, and shall sprinkle therewith all the tent, and all the furniture, and the men that are defiled with touching any such thing:
19那潔凈的人應在第三日和第七日上，灑那不潔淨的人，到第七日纔能使他潔淨；那人還應洗自己的衣服，在水中沐浴，到晚上就潔淨了。 19And in this manner he that is clean shall purify the unclean on the third and on the seventh day. And being expiated the seventh day, he shall wash both himself and his garments, and be unclean until the evening.
20誰成了不潔的而不取潔，這人應由會眾中剷除，因為他玷污了上主的聖所，因取潔水沒有灑在他身上，他仍然不潔。 20If any man be not expiated after this rite, his soul shall perish out of the midst of the church: because he hath profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, and was not sprinkled with the water of purification.
21這為你們是一條永久的法律。那灑取潔水的，應洗自己的衣服；凡觸摸取潔水的，直到晚上不潔。 21This precept shall be an ordinance for ever. He also that sprinkled the water, shall wash his garments. Every one that shall touch the waters of expiation, shall be unclean until the evening.
22凡不潔的人摸過的東西，也成了不潔的；與之接觸的人，也直到晚上不潔。」 22Whatsoever a person toucheth who is unclean, he shall make it unclean: and the person that toucheth any of these things, shall be unclean until the evening.
19:1-6
各宗教皆以水洗表示净化的意义。为使水有净化的能力，先应使水圣化或净化，然後 可使用。本章所记的，以红母牛作赎罪祭烧成的灰，撒在水中，即是使水圣化，或净化，使之成取洁水（31:23; 5:17-18）。母牛应用红色的，是为叫人连想到血，因为血是赎罪的先决条件（希9:22）。圣保禄在希9:13解释了本段经文的深意。
19:9
见肋4:11-12和希9:13；本章17节说明了它的用途。
19:10-13
上主的居所，不只在圣所内，而且也在以色列民所住的营幕内。见5:3。本章只提出触摸 体的例子，可能是因为在一切不洁的法律中，除了癞病以外，触摸 体算是最严重的了。
19:17-18
17,18两节所规定的取洁礼，颇似癞病的取洁礼（肋14:4-5；申21:1-5）。