The Ten Commandments
1
Moses summoned all Israel and said:
Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today.
Learn them and be sure to follow them.
2
The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.
3
It was not with our fathers that the LORD made this covenant,
but with us, with all of us who are alive here today.
4
The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.
5
(At that time I stood between the LORD and you to declare to you the word of
the LORD, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.)
And he said:
6
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt,
out of yhe land of slavery.
7
"You shall have no other gods before me.
8
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above
or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
9
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 fathers to the third
and fourth generations of those who hate me,
10
but showing love to a thousand generations,
of those who love me and keep my commandments.
11
"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God,
for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
12
"Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,
as the LORD your God has commanded you.
13
Six days you shall labor and do all your work.
14
but the seventh day 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 manservant
or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien
within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.
15
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought
you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore
the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
16
"Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD our God has commanded you,
so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD
your God is giving you.
17
"You shall not murder.
18
"You shall not commit adultery.
19
"You shall not steal.
20
"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
21
"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on
your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey,
or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
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; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two
stone tablets and gave them to me.
23
When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze
with fire, all the leading men of your tribes and your elders came to me.
24
And you said, "The LORD our God has shown us his glory and his majesty,
and we have heard his voice from the fire. Yoday we have seen that
a man can live even if God speaks with him.
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 what mortal man has ever heard the voice of the living God
speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived?
27
Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says.
Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you. You will listen and obey."
28
The LORD heard 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.
29
Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands
always, so that it might go well with them and their childen forever!
30
"Go, tell them to return to their tents.
31
But you stay here 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;
do not turn aside to the right or to the left.
33
Walk in all the way thatthe LORD your God has commanded you,
so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land
that you will possess.
