---
title: "Exodus 12 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/exodus/12/
description: "The manner of preparing, and eating the paschal lamb: the firstborn of Egypt are… Exodus 12 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Exodus 12

Exodus 12 is chapter 12 of 40 in the Book of Exodus. Here are all 51 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The manner of preparing, and eating the paschal lamb: the firstborn of Egypt are all slain: the Israelites depart.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Exodus 12 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. The Lord also said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt:
2. “This month will be for you the beginning of the months. It will be first in the months of the year.
3. Speak to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, and say to them: On the tenth day of this month, let everyone take a lamb, by their families and houses.
4. But if the number is less than may suffice to be able to consume the lamb, he shall accept his neighbor, who has been joined with his house according to the number of souls that may suffice to be able to eat the lamb.
5. And it shall be a lamb without blemish, a one year old male. According to this rite, you shall also take a young goat.
6. And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month. And the entire multitude of the sons of Israel shall immolate it toward evening.
7. And they shall take from its blood, and place it on both the door posts and the upper threshold of the houses, in which they will consume it.
8. And that night they shall eat the flesh, roasted by fire, and unleavened bread with wild lettuce.
9. You shall not consume anything from it raw, nor boiled in water, but only roasted by fire. You shall devour the head with its feet and entrails.
10. Neither shall there remain anything from it until morning. If anything will have been left over, you shall burn it with fire.
11. Now you shall consume it in this way: You shall gird your waist, and you shall have shoes on your feet, holding staves in your hands, and you shall consume it in haste. For it is the Passover (that is, the Crossing) of the Lord.
12. And I will cross through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man, even to cattle. And I will bring judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.
13. But the blood will be for you as a sign in the buildings where you will be. And I will see the blood, and I will pass over you. And the plague will not be with you to destroy, when I strike the land of Egypt.
14. Then you shall have this day as a memorial, and you shall celebrate it as a solemnity to the Lord, in your generations, as an everlasting devotion.
15. For seven days, you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day there shall be no leaven in your houses. Whoever will consume anything leavened, from the first day, even until the seventh day, that soul shall perish from Israel.
16. The first day shall be holy and solemn, and the seventh day shall be venerated with the same festivity. You shall do no work in these days, except that which pertains to the eating.
17. And you shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. For on this same day, I will lead your army out of the land of Egypt, and you shall keep this day, in your generations, as a perpetual ritual.
18. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, toward evening, you shall consume the unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the same month, toward evening.
19. For seven days, there shall not be found leaven in your houses. Whoever will eat leaven, his soul will perish from the assembly of Israel, as much with the newcomers as with the natives of the land.
20. You shall not consume any leaven. In all your dwelling places, you shall eat unleavened bread.”
21. Then Moses called all the elders of the sons of Israel, and he said to them: “Go, taking an animal by your families, and sacrifice the Passover.
22. And dip a little bundle of hyssop in the blood which is at the entrance, and sprinkle the upper threshold with it, and both of the door posts. Let none of you go out of the door of his house until morning.
23. For the Lord will cross through, striking the Egyptians. And when he will see the blood on the upper threshold, and on both the door posts, he will pass over the door of the house and not permit the Striker to enter into your houses or to do harm.
24. You shall keep this word as a law for you and for your sons, forever.
25. And when you have entered into the land that the Lord will give to you, just as he has promised, you shall observe these ceremonies.
26. And when your sons will say to you, ‘What is the meaning of this religious observance?’
27. You shall say to them: ‘It is the victim of the crossing of the Lord, when he passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, striking the Egyptians, and freeing our houses.’” And the people, bowing down, worshipped.
28. And the sons of Israel, departing, did just as the Lord had instructed Moses and Aaron.
29. Then it happened, in the middle of the night: the Lord struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the captive woman who was in prison, and all the firstborn of the cattle.
30. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, and all his servants, and all of Egypt. And there arose a great outcry in Egypt. For there was not a house in which no one lay dead.
31. And Pharaoh, calling Moses and Aaron in the night, said: “Rise up and go forth from among my people, you and the sons of Israel. Go, sacrifice to the Lord, just as you say.
32. Your sheep and herds take along with you, as you requested, and as you go away, bless me.”
33. And the Egyptians urged the people to go away from the land quickly, saying, “We will all die.”
34. Therefore, the people took bread dough before it was leavened. And tying it in their cloaks, they placed it on their shoulders.
35. And the sons of Israel did just as Moses had instructed. And they petitioned the Egyptians for vessels of silver and of gold, and very many garments.
36. Then the Lord granted favor to the people in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they bestowed on them. And they despoiled the Egyptians.
37. And the sons of Israel set out from Rameses to Soccoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides little ones.
38. But also an innumerable mix of common people ascended with them, sheep and herds and animals of diverse kinds, exceedingly many.
39. And they baked the bread, which a little while ago they had taken out of Egypt as dough. And they made unleavened bread baked under ashes. For it was not able to be leavened, with the Egyptians compelling them to leave and not permitting them to cause any delay. Neither did they have occasion to prepare any meat.
40. Now the habitation of the sons of Israel, while they remained in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
41. Having been completed, on the same day all the army of the Lord departed from the land of Egypt.
42. This night is a worthy observance of the Lord, when he led them out of the land of Egypt. This all the sons of Israel must observe in their generations.
43. And the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron: “This is the religious observance of the Passover. No foreigner shall eat from it.
44. But every bought servant shall be circumcised, and so he may eat from it.
45. The newcomer and the hired hand shall not eat from it.
46. In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry its flesh outside, nor shall you break its bone.
47. The entire assembly of the sons of Israel shall do this.
48. And if any sojourner will be willing to cross over into your settlement, and to keep the Passover of the Lord, all his males shall first be circumcised, and then he shall celebrate the rite. And he shall be just like a native of the land. But if any man is not circumcised, he shall not eat from it.
49. The law shall be the same for the native born and for the settler who sojourns with you.”
50. And all the sons of Israel did just as the Lord had instructed Moses and Aaron.
51. And on the same day, the Lord led the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their companies.

## Exodus 12 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Dixit quoque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron in terra Ægypti:
2. Mensis iste, vobis principium mensium: primus erit in mensibus anni.
3. Loquimini ad universum cœtum filiorum Israël, et dicite eis: Decima die mensis hujus tollat unusquisque agnum per familias et domos suas.
4. Sin autem minor est numerus ut sufficere possit ad vescendum agnum, assumet vicinum suum qui junctus est domui suæ, juxta numerum animarum quæ sufficere possunt ad esum agni.
5. Erit autem agnus absque macula, masculus, anniculus: juxta quem ritum tolletis et hædum.
6. Et servabitis eum usque ad quartamdecimam diem mensis hujus: immolabitque eum universa multitudo filiorum Israël ad vesperam.
7. Et sument de sanguine ejus, ac ponent super utrumque postem, et in superliminaribus domorum, in quibus comedent illum.
8. Et edent carnes nocte illa assas igni, et azymos panes cum lactucis agrestibus.
9. Non comedetis ex eo crudum quid, nec coctum aqua, sed tantum assum igni: caput cum pedibus ejus et intestinis vorabitis.
10. Nec remanebit quidquam ex eo usque mane; si quid residuum fuerit, igne comburetis.
11. Sic autem comedetis illum: renes vestros accingetis, et calceamenta habebitis in pedibus, tenentes baculos in manibus, et comedetis festinanter: est enim Phase (id est, transitus) Domini.
12. Et transibo per terram Ægypti nocte illa, percutiamque omne primogenitum in terra Ægypti ab homine usque ad pecus: et in cunctis diis Ægypti faciam judicia. Ego Dominus.
13. Erit autem sanguis vobis in signum in ædibus in quibus eritis: et videbo sanguinem, et transibo vos: nec erit in vobis plaga disperdens quando percussero terram Ægypti.
14. Habebitis autem hunc diem in monimentum: et celebrabitis eam solemnem Domino in generationibus vestris cultu sempiterno.
15. Septem diebus azyma comedetis: in die primo non erit fermentum in domibus vestris: quicumque comederit fermentatum, peribit anima illa de Israël, a primo die usque ad diem septimum.
16. Dies prima erit sancta atque solemnis, et dies septima eadem festivitate venerabilis: nihil operis facietis in eis, exceptis his, quæ ad vescendum pertinent.
17. Et observabitis azyma: in eadem enim ipsa die educam exercitum vestrum de terra Ægypti, et custodietis diem istum in generationes vestras ritu perpetuo.
18. Primo mense, quartadecima die mensis ad vesperam, comedetis azyma usque ad diem vigesimam primam ejusdem mensis ad vesperam.
19. Septem diebus fermentum non invenietur in domibus vestris: qui comederit fermentatum, peribit anima ejus de cœtu Israël, tam de advenis quam de indigenis terræ.
20. Omne fermentatum non comedetis: in cunctis habitaculis vestris edetis azyma.
21. Vocavit autem Moyses omnes seniores filiorum Israël, et dixit ad eos: Ite tollentes animal per familias vestras, et immolate Phase.
22. Fasciculumque hyssopi tingite in sanguine qui est in limine, et aspergite ex eo superliminare, et utrumque postem: nullus vestrum egrediatur ostium domus suæ usque mane.
23. Transibit enim Dominus percutiens Ægyptios: cumque viderit sanguinem in superliminari, et in utroque poste, transcendet ostium domus, et non sinet percussorem ingredi domos vestras et lædere.
24. Custodi verbum istud legitimum tibi et filiis tuis usque in æternum.
25. Cumque introieritis terram, quam Dominus daturus est vobis ut pollicitus est, observabitis cæremonias istas.
26. Et cum dixerint vobis filii vestri: Quæ est ista religio?
27. Dicetis eis: Victima transitus Domini est, quando transivit super domos filiorum Israël in Ægypto, percutiens Ægyptios, et domos nostras liberans. Incurvatusque populus adoravit.
28. Et egressi filii Israël fecerunt sicut præceperat Dominus Moysi et Aaron.
29. Factum est autem in noctis medio, percussit Dominus omne primogenitum in terra Ægypti, a primogenito Pharaonis, qui in solio ejus sedebat, usque ad primogenitum captivæ quæ erat in carcere, et omne primogenitum jumentorum.
30. Surrexitque Pharao nocte, et omnes servi ejus, cunctaque Ægyptus: et ortus est clamor magnus in Ægypto: neque enim erat domus in qua non jaceret mortuus.
31. Vocatisque Pharao Moyse et Aaron nocte, ait: Surgite et egredimini a populo meo, vos et filii Israël: ite, immolate Domino sicut dicitis.
32. Oves vestras et armenta assumite ut petieratis, et abeuntes benedicite mihi.
33. Urgebantque Ægyptii populum de terra exire velociter, dicentes: Omnes moriemur.
34. Tulit igitur populus conspersam farinam antequam fermentaretur: et ligans in palliis, posuit super humeros suos.
35. Feceruntque filii Israël sicut præceperat Moyses: et petierunt ab Ægyptiis vasa argentea et aurea, vestemque plurimam.
36. Dominus autem dedit gratiam populo coram Ægyptiis ut commodarent eis: et spoliaverunt Ægyptios.
37. Profectique sunt filii Israël de Ramesse in Socoth, sexcenta fere millia peditum virorum, absque parvulis.
38. Sed et vulgus promiscuum innumerabile ascendit cum eis, oves et armenta et animantia diversi generis multa nimis.
39. Coxeruntque farinam, quam dudum de Ægypto conspersam tulerant: et fecerunt subcinericios panes azymos: neque enim poterant fermentari, cogentibus exire Ægyptiis, et nullam facere sinentibus moram: nec pulmenti quidquam occurrerat præparare.
40. Habitatio autem filiorum Israël qua manserunt in Ægypto, fuit quadringentorum triginta annorum.
41. Quibus expletis, eadem die egressus est omnis exercitus Domini de terra Ægypti.
42. Nox ista est observabilis Domini, quando eduxit eos de terra Ægypti: hanc observare debent omnes filii Israël in generationibus suis.
43. Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron: Hæc est religio Phase: omnis alienigena non comedet ex eo.
44. Omnis autem servus emptitius circumcidetur, et sic comedet.
45. Advena et mercenarius non edent ex eo.
46. In una domo comedetur, nec efferetis de carnibus ejus foras, nec os illius confringetis.
47. Omnis cœtus filiorum Israël faciet illud.
48. Quod si quis peregrinorum in vestram voluerit transire coloniam, et facere Phase Domini, circumcidetur prius omne masculinum ejus, et tunc rite celebrabit: eritque sicut indigena terræ: si quis autem circumcisus non fuerit, non vescetur ex eo.
49. Eadem lex erit indigenæ et colono qui peregrinatur apud vos.
50. Feceruntque omnes filii Israël sicut præceperat Dominus Moysi et Aaron.
51. Et eadem die eduxit Dominus filios Israël de terra Ægypti per turmas suas.

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 5: The phase might be performed, either with a lamb or with a kid: and all the same rites and ceremonies were to be used with the one as with the other.
- Verse 18: “Unleavened bread” … By this it appears, that our Saviour made use of unleavened bread, in the institution of the blessed sacrament, which was on the evening of the paschal solemnity, at which time there was no leavened bread to be found in Israel.
- Verse 22: “Sprinkle” … This sprinkling the doors of the Israelites with the blood of the paschal lamb, in order to their being delivered from the sword of the destroying angel, was a lively figure of our redemption by the blood of Christ.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Thu, Mar 25, 2027: Holy Thursday — Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper — First Reading, Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
- Fri, Jul 16, 2027 (computed): Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, Exodus 11:10—12:14
- Sat, Jul 17, 2027 (computed): Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, Exodus 12:37-42
- Thu, Apr 13, 2028 (computed): Holy Thursday — Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper — First Reading, Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).