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Moses called together all Israel and said this to them: Listen, Israel, to the statutes and ordinances that I am speaking in your hearing today so that you learn them and are conscientious about carrying them out. The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with those who are here today, all of us who are living today. Face-to-face the Lord spoke with you at the mountain from the middle of the fire. At that time I was standing between the Lord and you to relate to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and you did not go up on the mountain.

Then the Lord said:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt, where you were slaves.[a]

You shall have no other gods beside me.[b] You shall not make any carved image for yourself or a likeness of anything in heaven above, on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow down to them or be subservient to[c] them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.[d] I follow up on[e] the guilt of the fathers with their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren if they also hate me. 10 But I show mercy to thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

11 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not permit anyone who misuses his name to escape unpunished.

12 Observe the Sabbath day by setting it apart as holy, just as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you are to serve and perform all of your regular work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath rest to the Lord your God. You are not to do any regular work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock or the alien who resides inside your gates, in order that your male servant and your female servant may rest like you. 15 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the day of rest.

16 Honor your father and your mother, just as the Lord your God commanded you, so that you may prolong your days and so that it may go well for you on the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

17 You shall not commit murder.

18 You shall not commit adultery.

19 You shall not steal.

20 You shall not give lying testimony against your neighbor.

21 You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house or his field, his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

22 These are the words the Lord spoke to your whole assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the thick cloud, and the gloom, with a loud voice, and he did not add anything. He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 23 When you heard the voice from the middle of the darkness while the mountain was burning with fire, you approached me—all the heads of your tribes and your elders.

24 Then you said, “See how the Lord our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice from the middle of the fire. Today we have seen that a man can live even though God has spoken to him. 25 But now, why should we die, because this great fire will consume us? If we continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer, we will die. 26 For who of all flesh has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking from the middle of fire as we have and has lived? 27 You go near and listen to everything that the Lord our God says, and then you speak to us everything that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.”

28 The Lord heard what you said when you spoke to me. So the Lord said to me, “I heard what these people said when they spoke to you. Everything that they spoke to you is good. 29 If only this would be in their hearts—to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well for them and for their children continually. 30 Go and say to them, ‘Go back to your tents.’ 31 As for you, stand here with me and I will speak to you all the commands and the statutes and the ordinances that you are to teach them and that they are to do in the land that I am giving them as a possession. 32 Tell them:[f] ‘Be conscientious about doing just as the Lord your God commanded you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in every way the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and it may be good for you and you may live long in the land that you will possess.’”

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:6 Literally the house of slaves
  2. Deuteronomy 5:7 Literally against my face. Or besides me or before me or in my presence or because of my presence.
  3. Deuteronomy 5:9 The Hebrew verb for to serve is written as a passive form to give it a derogatory tone.
  4. Deuteronomy 5:9 That is, a God who demands exclusive loyalty
  5. Deuteronomy 5:9 Or demand an accounting for. The Hebrew verb pachad has traditionally been translated visit, but in modern English visit has a social connotation. The term, however, refers to an official visit to bring punishment or reward to someone.
  6. Deuteronomy 5:32 The words tell them are added to mark the change of addressee.

The Ten Commandments(A)

Moses summoned all Israel and said:

Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws(B) I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. The Lord our God made a covenant(C) with us at Horeb.(D) It was not with our ancestors[a] that the Lord made this covenant, but with us,(E) with all of us who are alive here today.(F) The Lord spoke(G) to you face to face(H) out of the fire(I) on the mountain. (At that time I stood between(J) the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid(K) of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt,(L) out of the land of slavery.(M)

“You shall have no other gods before[b] me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.(N) You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents(O) to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,(P) 10 but showing love to a thousand(Q) generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.(R)

11 “You shall not misuse the name(S) of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.(T)

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,(U) as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day(V) is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant,(W) nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.(X) 15 Remember that you were slaves(Y) in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand(Z) and an outstretched arm.(AA) Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father(AB) and your mother,(AC) as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long(AD) and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You shall not murder.(AE)

18 “You shall not commit adultery.(AF)

19 “You shall not steal.(AG)

20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.(AH)

21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”(AI)

22 These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness;(AJ) and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets(AK) and gave them to me.

23 When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders(AL) came to me. 24 And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us(AM) his glory and his majesty,(AN) and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them.(AO) 25 But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer.(AP) 26 For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived?(AQ) 27 Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says.(AR) Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.”(AS)

28 The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good.(AT) 29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me(AU) and keep all my commands(AV) always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!(AW)

30 “Go, tell them to return to their tents. 31 But you stay here(AX) with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.”

32 So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you;(AY) do not turn aside to the right or to the left.(AZ) 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you,(BA) so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days(BB) in the land that you will possess.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:3 Or not only with our parents
  2. Deuteronomy 5:7 Or besides