The Ten Commandments

Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am proclaiming as you hear them today. Learn and follow them carefully. The Lord our God made a covenant(A) with us at Horeb. He did not make this covenant with our fathers,(B) but with all of us who are alive here today. The Lord spoke to you face to face from the fire on the mountain. At that time I was standing between the Lord and you to report the word[a] of the Lord to you, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain. And He said:

I am the Lord your God,(C) who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.(D)
Do not have other gods besides Me.
Do not make an idol for yourself in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. You must not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,(E) 10 but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands.
11 Do not misuse the name(F) of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name.
12 Be careful to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your ox or donkey, any of your livestock, or the foreigner who lives within your gates, so that your male and female slaves may rest as you do. 15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out of there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
16 Honor your father and your mother,(G) as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and so that you may prosper in the land the Lord your God is giving you.(H)
17 Do not murder.(I)
18 Do not commit adultery.(J)
19 Do not steal.
20 Do not give dishonest testimony against your neighbor.(K)
21 Do not covet your neighbor’s wife or desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.(L)

The People’s Response

22 “The Lord spoke these commands in a loud voice to your entire assembly from the fire, cloud, and thick darkness on the mountain; He added nothing more. He wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me. 23 All of you approached me with your tribal leaders and elders when you heard the voice from the darkness and while the mountain was blazing with fire. 24 You said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and greatness, and we have heard His voice from the fire. Today we have seen that God speaks with a person, yet he still lives. 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. 26 For who out of all mankind has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 Go near and listen to everything the Lord our God says. Then you can tell us everything the Lord our God tells you; we will listen and obey.’(M)

28 “The Lord heard your[b] words when you spoke to me. He said to me, ‘I have heard the words that these people have spoken to you. Everything they have said is right. 29 If only they had such a heart to fear Me and keep all My commands always, so that they and their children will prosper forever. 30 Go and tell them: Return to your tents. 31 But you stand here with Me, and I will tell you every command—the statutes and ordinances—you are to teach them, so that they may follow them in the land I am giving them to possess.’

32 “Be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you are not to turn aside to the right or the left. 33 Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life in the land you will possess.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:5 One Hb ms, DSS, Sam, LXX, Syr, Vg read words
  2. Deuteronomy 5:28 Lit the sound of your

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