Some versions see this verse as the conclusion to chapter 25 and make no paragraph break here (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version, New English Bible, New American Bible, An American Translation, and New Jerusalem Bible). In some of these versions this verse does not even begin a new sentence. Jerusalem Bible makes it a separate paragraph, thus treating it as a kind of transition to chapter 26, but New Jerusalem Bible joins it with the previous verse. Both Bible en français courant and Traduction oecuménique de la Bible take it as the beginning of a separate section (25.55–26.2) and place a section heading at this point. There is much to be said for the unity of 25.55–26.2, even though very few English versions respect it.

For: this transition word indicates that what follows is the basis for what precedes. It is because the people of Israel belong to the LORD that they cannot be kept permanently as slaves of any person.

Me … my … I …: as in the rest of this chapter, the question of direct versus indirect discourse must be considered. The first person singular pronouns must be changed to third person in those languages where direct discourse is not being used.

The phrase to me the people of Israel are servants is identical in meaning with they are my servants. But in both cases the word translated servants should rather be “slaves” as in Good News Translation. See verses 39 and following.

I am the LORD your God: see 11.44.

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 .