Deuteronomy 5

1 Moses called to all Israel, and said to them, Hear, Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them, and observe to do them.

Then Moses called all the Israelites together and told them: Listen, people of Israel to the rules and regulations that I'm giving you today. Learn them and make sure you follow them carefully.

2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

Remember that the Lord our God made an agreement with us at Horeb.

3 The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

He didn't make this agreement with our fathers, but with us, all of those who are still alive today.

4 The LORD spoke with you face to face on the mountain out of the midst of the fire,

The Lord talked with you person to person from the fire on the mountain.

5 (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to show you the words of the LORD: for you were afraid because of the fire, and did not go up onto the mountain; ) saying,

This was the time when I stood between the Lord and you to tell you what the Lord said, because you were afraid of the fire and refused to go up the mountain. He told you,

6 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“I am the Lord your God, who led you out of Egypt, out of the prison-house of slavery.

7 "Do not have no other gods before me.

You must not have any other gods except me.

8 "Do not make an engraved image for yourself, or any likeness of what is in heaven above, or on the earth below, or that is in the waters below the earth.

You must not make for yourself any kind of idol, whether in the form of anything in the heavens above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters below.

9 You must not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them; for I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, upon the third and upon the fourth [generation] of those who hate me;

You must not bow down before them or worship them; for I am the Lord your God and I am passionately exclusive. I lay the consequences of the sin of those who hate me on their sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons;

10 and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

but I show trustworthy love to the thousands of generations who love me and keep my commandments.

11 "Do not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

You must not use the name of the Lord your God in a wrong way, for the Lord will not forgive anyone who uses his name in a wrong way.

12 "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.

Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as the Lord as the Lord your God has commanded you to do.

13 Six days you may labor, and do all your work;

You have six days to work and earn your living,

14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you must not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, your ox, nor your donkey, nor your livestock, your stranger who is within your gates; that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

but the seventh day is the Sabbath to honor the Lord your God. On this day you must not do any work—not you, not your son or daughter, not your male slave or female slave or your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, and not the foreigner who is staying with you, so that your male slave and females slave can have the same rest as you.

15 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, and that the Lord your God led you out from there with his great power and incredible strength. This is why the Lord your God has ordered you to keep the Sabbath day.

16 "Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you; that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you, in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that you may live a long time and do well in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

17 "Do not commit adultery.

You must not kill people.

18 "Do not murder.

You must not commit adultery.

19 "Do not steal.

You must not steal.

20 "Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

You must not give false evidence against others.

21 "Do not covet your neighbor's wife. Do not crave your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

You must not desire to have anyone else's wife. You must not desire to have their house or field, or their male slave or female slave, or their ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to them.”

22 These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly on the mountain out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone, and gave them to me.

In a loud voice the Lord gave these commandments to all of you, speaking from the fire, the cloud, and the deep darkness that covered the mountain. He didn't add anything else. He wrote them down on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.

23 It happened, when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;

When you heard the voice that came from the darkness while the mountain was on fire, all your tribal leaders and elders came to me,

24 and you said, "Look, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God does speak with man, and he lives.

and said, “Listen, the Lord our God has revealed glory and majesty to us, and we have heard his voice that came from the fire. Today we have seen that human beings can don't die even when God speaks with them.

25 Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.

But we could still die, couldn't we? This enormous fire is going to burn us up, and we'll die if the Lord our God continues to speak to us.

26 For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?

Has anybody else ever heard the living God speak from the fire and survived, we have?

27 Go near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say to you, and tell us all that the LORD our God speaks to you; and we will hear it, and do it."

You go and listen to everything the Lord our God tells you. Then you can repeat to us everything the Lord our God tells you. We promise to listen and obey.”

28 The LORD heard the voice of your words, when you spoke to me; and the LORD said to me, "I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken to you: they have well said all that they have spoken.

The Lord heard what you told me, and he said to me, “I've heard what these people told you. All that they've said is good.

29 Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever.

I only wish they really did respect me and always kept my commandments so that they and their children would do well for all time.

30 "Go tell them, Return to your tents.

Go and tell them: ‘You need to return to your tents.’

31 But as for you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which you shall teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it."

But you are to stay here with me so that I can give you all the commandments and rules and regulations you are to teach them to follow in the country that I am giving them to take over and own.”

32 You shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God has commanded you: you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

So make sure you do what the Lord your God has ordered you to do—don't go astray in any direction.

33 You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

Follow all the ways the Lord your God has shown you, so that you do well and live long lives in the country that you will occupy.