It is grammatically possible to consider verse 17 as containing two completely separate commands, the first concerning the brother and the second concerning the neighbor. However, most modern dynamic translations (such as Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) see in this verse two aspects of the same command. And both terms are to be taken in their broadest sense.

Hate … in your heart: the Good News Translation rendering “bear a grudge” is the common-language equivalent of this expression. Other languages will have very different ways of expressing the idea of a deep and long-lasting hatred. Some languages say “continue to hate” or use the habitual form of the verb to hate. New English Bible has “nurse hatred.”

Your neighbor: taken in Good News Translation as the equivalent of your brother at the beginning of the verse. Compare 6.2 and verse 13 above.

Reason with: according to the majority of modern translations, the basic meaning of the verb here is “to rebuke” or “to admonish.” Bible en français courant translates “Do not hesitate to reprimand him.” Moffatt has “warn him of his fault.” And Jerusalem Bible has “you must openly tell him … of his offense,” while New Jerusalem Bible reads “reprove … firmly.” Good News Translation, which takes this expression in the sense of “to reach agreement,” is definitely in the minority.

Lest you bear sin because of him: this may also be understood to mean “so that you do not share in his guilt,” if the previous verb is taken in the sense of “rebuke” (so New International Version and New English Bible).

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René and Ellington, John. A Handbook on Leviticus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1990. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .