Deuteronomy 13

1 If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you,

Maybe a prophet or someone who has dreams about the future comes along and gives you a prediction you about some sign or miracle,

2 and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,”

and the sign or wonder does happens. If after that they tell you, “Let's follow other gods that you don't know, and let's worship them,”

3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

then you must not listen to what that prophet or dreamer has to say because the Lord your God is trying to find out whether you really love him with all your mind and with all your being.

4 You are to follow the LORD your God and fear Him. Keep His commandments and listen to His voice; serve Him and hold fast to Him.

You are to follow the Lord your God and respect him. Keep his commandments and do what he says; worship him and hold onto him.

5 Such a prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has advocated rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God has commanded you to walk. So you must purge the evil from among you.

These kinds of prophet or dreamer must be executed, because they have promoted rebellion against the Lord your God, who led you out of Egypt and rescued you from the prison-house of slavery. They have tried to lead you from the way that the Lord your God has ordered you to follow. You must eliminate the evil among you.

6 If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,

Even if your own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your best friend secretly encourages you, saying, “Let's go and worship other gods” unfamiliar to you and your forefathers,

7 the gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, whether from one end of the earth or the other),

the gods of your pagan nation neighbors, whether they love close by or far away in any direction,

8 you must not yield to him or listen to him. Show him no pity, and do not spare him or shield him.

don't give into them or listen to them. Show them no mercy. Don't spare them or protect them.

9 Instead, you must surely kill him. Your hand must be the first against him to put him to death, and then the hands of all the people.

No, you absolutely must kill them! You start killing them, and then have everyone else help.

10 Stone him to death for trying to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

Stone the person to death for trying lead you away from the Lord your God, who led you out of Egypt, out of the prison-house of slavery.

11 Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.

Then every Israelite will hear about it and be afraid, and won't ever do such an evil thing among you.

12 If, regarding one of the cities the LORD your God is giving you to inhabit, you hear it said

It may happen that once you're living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, you hear

13 that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),

that evil people have taken over in one of your towns and have led the people there astray, telling them, “Let's go and worship other gods” that you don't know.

14 then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty that this abomination has been committed among you,

If this does happen you need to make a full investigation, inquiring about the facts and interrogating witnesses. If it's proved beyond doubt that this awful sin has actually been committed among you,

15 you must surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword. Devote to destruction all its people and livestock.

then you have to kill the people living in that town with the sword. Set apart for destruction its people and its livestock.

16 And you are to gather all its plunder in the middle of the public square, and completely burn the city and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. The city must remain a mound of ruins forever, never to be rebuilt.

You must pile up all the people's possessions in the middle of the public square, and completely burn the town and everything in it as a complete burnt offering to the Lord your God. The town must remain a heap of ruins forever. It must never be rebuilt.

17 Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands, so that the LORD will turn from His fierce anger, grant you mercy, show you compassion, and multiply you as He swore to your fathers,

Don't take for yourselves anything that has been set apart for destruction so that the Lord won't be angry any more. He will be merciful to you, showing you compassion, and giving you many descendants as he promised to your forefathers,

18 because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all His commandments I am giving you today and doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD your God.

because you are obeying the Lord your God, keeping all his commandments that I'm giving you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord your God.