5Deuteronomy 5

The Ten Commandments

1Moses called together the people of Israel and said: Today I am telling you the laws and teachings that you must follow, so listen carefully.Select Deuteronomy 5:1

2The Lord our God made an agreement with our nation at Mount Sinai.Select Deuteronomy 5:2

3That agreement wasn't only with our ancestors but with us, who are here today.Select Deuteronomy 5:3

4The Lord himself spoke to you out of the fire,Select Deuteronomy 5:4

5but you were afraid of the fire and refused to go up the mountain. So I spoke with the Lord for you, then I told you that he had said:Select Deuteronomy 5:5

6I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves.Select Deuteronomy 5:6

7Do not worship any god except me.Select Deuteronomy 5:7

8Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on earth or in the ocean under the earth.Select Deuteronomy 5:8

9Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the Lord your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me and worship idols, I will punish your families for three or four generations.Select Deuteronomy 5:9

10But if you love me and obey my laws, I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations.Select Deuteronomy 5:10

11Do not misuse my name. I am the Lord your God, and I will punish anyone who misuses my name.Select Deuteronomy 5:11

12Show respect for the Sabbath Day—it belongs to me.Select Deuteronomy 5:12

13You have six days when you can do your work,Select Deuteronomy 5:13

14but the seventh day of the week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day—not you, your children, your oxen or donkeys or any other animal, not even those foreigners who live in your towns. And don't make your slaves do any work.Select Deuteronomy 5:14

15This special day of rest will remind you that I reached out my mighty arm and rescued you from slavery in Egypt.Select Deuteronomy 5:15

16Respect your father and mother, and you will live a long and successful life in the land I am giving you.Select Deuteronomy 5:16

17Do not murder.Select Deuteronomy 5:17

18Be faithful in marriage.Select Deuteronomy 5:18

19Do not steal.Select Deuteronomy 5:19

20Do not tell lies about others.Select Deuteronomy 5:20

21Do not desire to possess anything that belongs to another person—not a house, a wife, a husband, a slave, an ox, a donkey, or anything else.Select Deuteronomy 5:21

22When we were gathered at the mountain, the Lord spoke to us in a loud voice from the dark fiery cloud. The Lord gave us these commands, and only these. Then he wrote them on two flat stones and gave them to me.Select Deuteronomy 5:22

The People Were Afraid / Moses said to Israel:

23When fire blazed from the mountain, and you heard the voice coming from the darkness, your tribal leaders came to meSelect Deuteronomy 5:23

24and said: Today the Lord our God has shown us how powerful and glorious he is. He spoke to us from the fire, and we learned that people can live, even though God speaks to them.Select Deuteronomy 5:24

25But we don't want to take a chance on being killed by that terrible fire, and if we keep on hearing the Lord's voice, we will die.Select Deuteronomy 5:25

26Has anyone else ever heard the only true God speaking from fire, as we have? And even if they have, would they live to tell about it?Select Deuteronomy 5:26

27Moses, go up close and listen to the Lord. Then come back and tell us, and we will do everything he says.Select Deuteronomy 5:27

28The Lord heard you and said: Moses, I heard what the people said to you, and I approve.Select Deuteronomy 5:28

29I wish they would always worship me with fear and trembling and be this willing to obey me! Then they and their children would always enjoy a successful life.Select Deuteronomy 5:29

30Now, tell them to return to their tents,Select Deuteronomy 5:30

31but you come back here to me. After I tell you my laws and teachings, you will repeat them to the people, so they can obey these laws in the land I am giving them.Select Deuteronomy 5:31

Moses said:

32Israel, you must carefully obey the Lord's commands.Select Deuteronomy 5:32

33Follow them, because they make a path that will lead to a long successful life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.Select Deuteronomy 5:33