Exodus 20

Chapter 20

Ten Commandments for the Covenant Community

1 Then God gave the people all these instructionst:
2 “I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.3 “You must not have any other god but me.4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on thoset who love me and obey my commands.7 “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work,10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.13 “You must not murder.14 “You must not commit adultery.15 “You must not steal.16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

18 When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.

19 And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!”

21 As the people stood in the distance, Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.

Proper Use of Altars

22 And the LORD said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: You saw for yourselves that I spoke to you from heaven.

23 Remember, you must not make any idols of silver or gold to rival me.
24 “Build for me an altar made of earth, and offer your sacrifices to me—your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats, and your cattle. Build my altar wherever I cause my name to be remembered, and I will come to you and bless you.25 If you use stones to build my altar, use only natural, uncut stones. Do not shape the stones with a tool, for that would make the altar unfit for holy use.

26 And do not approach my altar by going up steps. If you do, someone might look up under your clothing and see your nakedness.

EXODUS 20

The Ten Commandments

(Deuteronomy 5.1-21)

1 God said to the people of Israel:

2 I am the [Lord] your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves.

3 Do not worship any god except me.
4  t Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on earth or in the ocean under the earth. 5 t Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the [Lord] your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me, I will punish your families for three or four generations.

6 But if you love me and obey my laws, I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations.

7  t Do not misuse my name.t I am the [Lord] your God, and I will punish anyone who misuses my name.
8  t Remember that the Sabbath Day belongs to me. 9 t You have six days when you can do your work, 10 but the seventh day of each week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day—not you, your children, your slaves, your animals, or the foreigners who live in your towns.

11 t In six days I made the sky, the earth, the oceans, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That's why I made the Sabbath a special day that belongs to me.

12  t Respect your father and your mother, and you will live a long time in the land I am giving you.

13  t Do not murder.

14  t Be faithful in marriage.

15  t Do not steal.

16  t Do not tell lies about others.

17  t Do 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.

The People Are Afraid

(Deuteronomy 5.23-33)

19 and said to Moses, “If you speak to us, we will listen. But don't let God speak to us, or we will die!”
20 “Don't be afraid!” Moses replied. “God has come only to test you, so that by obeying him you won't sin.”

21 But when Moses went near the thick cloud where God was, the people stayed a long way off.

Idols and Altars

22 The [Lord] told Moses to say to the people of Israel:
With your own eyes you saw me speak to you from heaven.

23 So you must never make idols of silver or gold to worship in place of me.t
24 Build an altar out of earth, and offer on it your sacrificest of sheep, goats, and cattle. Wherever I choose to be worshiped, I will come down to bless you. 25 t If you ever build an altar for me out of stones, do not use any tools to chisel the stones, because that would make the altar unfit for use in worship. 26 And don't build an altar that requires steps; you might expose yourself when you climb up.