Leviticus 6:1-7 Meaning: When Wronging Your Neighbor Means Offending God
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor,
3or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions—
4then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
5or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.
6He shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest.
7The priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”
1And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
3Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:
4Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,
5Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.
6And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:
7And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2If any one sin, and commit a trespass against Jehovah, and deal falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or have oppressed his neighbor,
3or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these things that a man doeth, sinning therein;
4then it shall be, if he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he hath gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
5or any thing about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in full, and shall add the fifth part more thereto: unto him to whom it appertaineth shall he give it, in the day of his being found guilty.
6And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation, for a trespass-offering, unto the priest:
7and the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah; and he shall be forgiven concerning whatsoever he doeth so as to be guilty thereby.
1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
2`When any person doth sin, and hath committed a trespass against Jehovah, and hath lied to his fellow concerning a deposit, or concerning fellowship, or concerning violent robbery, or hath oppressed his fellow;
3or hath found a lost thing, and hath lied concerning it, and hath sworn to a falsehood, concerning one of all these which man doth, sinning in them:
4`Then it hath been, when he sinneth, and hath been guilty, that he hath returned the plunder which he hath taken violently away, or the thing which he hath got by oppression, or the deposit which hath been deposited with him, or the lost thing which he hath found;
5or all that concerning which he sweareth falsely, he hath even repaid it in its principal, and its fifth he is adding to it; to him whose it is he giveth it in the day of his guilt-offering.
6`And his guilt-offering he bringeth in to Jehovah, a ram, a perfect one, out of the flock, at thy estimation, for a guilt-offering, unto the priest,
7and the priest hath made atonement for him before Jehovah, and it hath been forgiven him, concerning one thing of all that he doth, by being guilty therein.'
1And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
2If any one sin and act unfaithfully against Jehovah, and lie to his neighbour as to an entrusted thing or a deposit or [that in which] he hath robbed or wronged his neighbour,
3or have found what was lost, and denieth it, and sweareth falsely in anything of all that man doeth, sinning therein;
4then it shall be, if he hath sinned and transgressed, that he shall restore what he robbed or that in which he hath defrauded, or the deposit, or the lost thing which he found,
5or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; and he shall restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto; to [him to] whom it belongeth shall he give it, on the day of his trespass-offering.
6And his trespass-offering shall he bring to Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the small cattle according to thy valuation, as a trespass-offering, unto the priest.
7And the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah, and it shall be forgiven him concerning anything of all that he hath done so as to trespass therein.
Meaning in one sentence
Leviticus 6:1-7 shows that deliberate sins against others are sins against God, and forgiveness requires both restitution and a sacrifice.
Context
This passage sits within the laws of the trespass offering, following rules for unintentional sins against holy things in chapter 5. Now the tone shifts. The sins listed here are not done by accident, lying about a deposit, robbery, oppression, finding lost property and denying it, swearing falsely. These are deliberate acts against a neighbor. Yet the opening words call them a trespass against Yahweh. The section addresses what happens when a person’s conscience catches up with them. They confess, and then God provides a way to be made whole: restitution to the neighbor, a sacrifice to the Lord, and forgiveness granted through the priest.
Key Words
Three English terms carry the weight of this passage. Trespass is the key concept, a deliberate breach of trust, not a slip. Commentators note that the Hebrew mind saw a trespass against a neighbor as also a trespass against the Lord, because God is the guardian of justice. Restore in full means giving back the exact thing taken, or its value. Restitution is not an option; it is the first step. A fifth part more is added to the principal. This extra cost signals that the wrongdoer must go beyond mere fairness. It hurts. It teaches that forgiveness is not cheap, for the guilty party, it requires sacrifice. And for the victim, the extra fifth is a small compensation for the breach of trust.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian traditions have read this passage with different emphases. Many Reformed commentators, following Calvin, see here a clear pattern for the gospel: deliberate sinners can be forgiven if they confess and trust in the sacrifice Christ foreshadowed. The Cambridge Bible suggests that the cases are assumed to be disclosed by the sinner’s own confession, not by public conviction, so the passage offers hope to the guilty who come forward. Catholic and Orthodox readers note the place of the priest and the offering as part of sacramental confession and penance. All traditions agree on the core: wronging a neighbor is a serious matter before God, and full restoration is required as part of the path to forgiveness.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that a person can receive forgiveness by bringing the sacrifice alone, even if they never make things right with the person they harmed. In fact, the passage insists on restitution before the offering: the ram is brought only after the wronged party receives back what was taken, plus the extra fifth. The vertical and horizontal are inseparably linked.
Living This Out
This week, think of a relationship where you have taken something, time, credit, trust, or actual property, and not made it right. Maybe it is a debt you have avoided repaying, a harsh word you have not apologized for, or someone else’s idea you quietly claimed as your own. The passage asks you to go to that person, restore what you took, and add something extra as a sign of sincerity. Only then can you bring your need for God’s forgiveness with honest hands. The offering of Christ covers our sin, but it does not erase the call to make amends. One concrete step: write a note, make a payment, offer an apology with no excuses attached.
Main takeaway: Making things right with the people you have wronged is part of receiving God’s forgiveness, not a separate task you can skip.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
If you break your brother’s toy and say sorry but don’t help fix it, it’s not a full apology. God wants us to make things right when we do wrong.
For ages 9, 12
Imagine you found a friend’s video game and kept it instead of giving it back. Later you feel guilty and confess. God says you need to not only return the game but also do something extra to show you are truly sorry. That is what this Bible passage teaches: real forgiveness means making things right with the person you hurt, not just saying sorry to God.
Questions People Ask
Why does Leviticus 6:1-7 say these sins against a neighbor are also against God?
Because God is the author and defender of human society. When you lie, steal, or oppress someone, you are breaking a command God gave and violating the trust God places in human relationships. The passage treats the wrong as both an injury to a person and an offense against the Lord who commands justice.
What is the difference between the sins in Leviticus 5 and those in Leviticus 6?
Chapter 5 deals mostly with unintentional sins, especially concerning holy things or broken oaths made in ignorance. Chapter 6 deals with deliberate, knowing sins: lying about a deposit, robbery, oppression, finding lost property and denying it, and swearing falsely. The shift is from unwitting errors to willful wrongdoing.
Why is the extra fifth part added to the restitution?
The fifth part (20% extra) serves as a penalty and a sign of genuine repentance. It compensates the victim for the trouble and loss caused by the wrong, and it costs the offender something real. Commentators also note that it prevents the guilty person from thinking they can simply return the item and be done, it requires sacrifice.
Does this passage require confession to a priest for forgiveness today?
Christians read this in light of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice and the role of the priesthood in the New Covenant differently. Some traditions (Catholic, Orthodox) see the pattern of confession and absolution continued through sacramental ministry. Others (Protestant, Evangelical) understand that Christ is the only mediator, and the call to confess sins to one another (James 5:16) is not the same as the old priesthood. Both views agree that sincere repentance and making amends are essential.
What does 'the day of his trespass offering' mean in Leviticus 6:5?
This phrase means that the restitution to the neighbor and the offering to God were to happen on the same day. The two acts were linked: you could not delay making things right with the person you wronged when you came to seek God’s forgiveness. It shows that reconciliation with others and with God go hand in hand.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study