Worshiping Other Gods
1
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you
and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder,
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and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place,and he says,
"Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not knwon) "and let us worship them,"
3
you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer.
The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him
with all your heart and with all your soul.
4
It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere.
Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
5
That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached
rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt
and redeemed you from the land of salvery; he has tried to turn you
from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow.
You must purge the evil from among you.
6
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love,
or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship
other gods" (gods that netiher you nor your fathers have known,
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gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far,
from one end of the land to the other),
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do not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity.
Do not spare him or shield him.
9
You must certainly put him to death. Your hand must be the first
in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people.
10
Stone him to death, because he tried to turn you away from
the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
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Then all Israel will hear and be afraid,
and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.
12
If you hear it said about one of the towns the LORD your God is givig you to live in
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that wicke men have arisen among you and have led the people of
their town astray, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods"
(gods you have not known),
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then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thorughly.
And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing
has been done among you,
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you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town.
Destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock.
16
Gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square
and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering
to the LORD your God. It is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt.
17
None of those condemned things shall be found in your hands,
so that the LORD will turn from his fierce anger; he will show you mercy,
have compassion on you, and increase your numbers,
as he promised on oath to your forefathers,
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because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all his commands
that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.
