Exodus 20 Cross References - NSB

¹ God spoke all these words: ² »I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt. ³ »Do not have any other god. ⁴ »Do not make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth, or in the water. ⁵ »Do not worship them or serve them. I, Jehovah your God, am a God demanding exclusive devotion. (I do not tolerate rivals.) I will not share your affection with any other god. I punish children for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. ⁶ »I show mercy (loving kindness) to thousands of generations of those who love me and obey my commandments. ⁷ »Never use the name of Jehovah your God in a false and evil way. Jehovah will make sure that anyone who is false, evil, careless and vain with his name will be punished. ⁸ »Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. ⁹ »You have six days to do all your work. ¹⁰ »The seventh day is a Sabbath dedicated to Jehovah your God. Do not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. ¹¹ »Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them in six days. He rested on the seventh day. Therefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. ¹² »Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land Jehovah your God gives you. ¹³ »Do not murder. ¹⁴ »Do not commit adultery. ¹⁵ »Do not steal. ¹⁶ »Do not (lie) accuse anyone falsely. ¹⁷ »Do not covet (desire) another man’s house. Do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns. ¹⁸ The people heard the thunder and the trumpet blast. They saw the lightning and the smoking mountain. They trembled with fear and stood at a distance. ¹⁹ They said to Moses: »If you speak to us, we will listen. However, we are afraid that if God speaks to us, we will die.« ²⁰ Moses responded: »Do not be afraid. God has only come to test you and to inspire you to obey him, so that you will not sin.« ²¹ But the people continued to stand at a distance. Only Moses went near the dark cloud where God was. ²² Jehovah commanded Moses to tell the Israelites: »You have seen how I have spoken to you from heaven. ²³ »Do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gold to be worshiped in addition to me. ²⁴ »Make an altar of earth for me. Sacrifice your sheep and your cattle as offerings to be completely burned and as peace offerings. In every place that I set-aside for you to worship me, I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵ »If you make an altar of stone for me, do not build it out of cut stones. This is because when you use a chisel on stones, you make them unfit for my use. ²⁶ »Do not build an altar for me with steps leading up to it. If you do, you will expose yourselves as you go up the steps.«

³³ »Did people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the middle of the fire, as you have heard, and live?

³⁶ »He made you hear his voice out of heaven. That way he could instruct (teach) (correct) (discipline) you. He showed you his great fire on the earth. You heard his words from the middle of the fire.

⁴ »Jehovah talked with you face to face on the mountain out of the middle of the fire,

²² »Jehovah spoke to us when we gathered on the mountain. He spoke with a loud voice from the dark fiery cloud. Jehovah gave us these words, and only these. Then he wrote them on two flat tablets of stone and gave them to me.

³⁸ »This one was with our father in the congregation in the wilderness. The angel spoke to him on Mount Sinai. He received the living oracles to give to us.

⁵³ »You have received the law by the disposition of angels and have not obeyed it.«

⁷ »I will establish my covenant as a long lasting covenant between us. It will be for your descendants after you, for the generations to come. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸ »The whole land of Canaan, where you are now a guest (alien) (foreigner) (stranger), I will give a long lasting possession to you and your descendants after you. I will be their God.«

¹ Jehovah told Moses: »Go back to the king. I have made him and his officials stubborn, so that I could work these signs. ² »I did this because I want you to tell your children and your grandchildren about the mighty things and the signs I have done in Egypt. Then all of you will know that I am Jehovah.« ³ Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him: »Thus says Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. ⁴ »‘If you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. ⁵ »‘They shall cover the surface of the land. No one will be able to see the land. They will also eat the rest of what has escaped and is left to you from the hail. They will eat every tree that sprouts for you out of the field. ⁶ »‘Your houses shall be filled and the houses of all your servants and the houses of all the Egyptians. This is something neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day that they came upon the earth until this day. He turned and went out from Pharaoh.’« ⁷ Pharaoh’s servants said to him: »How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go so that they may serve Jehovah their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?« ⁸ Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh. He said to them: »Go! Serve Jehovah your God. Who are the ones that shall go?« ⁹ Moses said: »We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters. We will go with our flocks and with our herds. We must hold a feast to Jehovah.« ¹⁰ He said to them: »May Jehovah be with you, as I send you and your little ones away. Watch out for evil is before you. ¹¹ »Not so! You men go now and serve Jehovah. It is you who desired it.« So they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. ¹² Jehovah said to Moses: »Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts. Let them come up upon the land of Egypt and eat every herb of the land, all that the hail has left.« ¹³ Moses held his staff over the land of Egypt. Jehovah made a wind from the east blow over the land all that day and all that night. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts. ¹⁴ They invaded all of Egypt and landed all over the country in great swarms. Never before had there been so many locusts, nor would there ever be that many again. ¹⁵ They covered all the ground until it was black with them. They ate all the plants and all the fruit on the trees that the hail had left. Nothing green was left on any tree or plant anywhere in Egypt.

³ Moses said to the people: »Remember this day in the month of Abib. It is the day Jehovah’s mighty power rescued you from slavery in Egypt. Do not eat anything made with yeast.

³⁶ »‘Use honest scales, honest weights, and honest measures. I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of Egypt.

⁴³ »‘This is how generations to come may learn how I made the people of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God!’«

¹ »‘Do not make idols or set up statues, stone pillars, or carved stones to worship. I am Jehovah your God!

¹³ »‘I am Jehovah your God. I brought you out of Egypt so that you are no longer slaves of the Egyptians. I have broken their power over you and made you live as a free people.

⁶ »‘I am Jehovah your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

¹⁵ »‘Remember that you were servants in the land of Egypt, and that Jehovah your God brought you out through a mighty act. Jehovah your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

⁴ »Listen, Israel! JEHOVAH OUR GOD IS ONE GOD! ⁵ »You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with your entire mind and with all your strength.

⁸ »You were chosen because Jehovah loved you and kept the oath he swore to your fathers. So he used his mighty hand to bring you out. He freed you from slavery under Pharaoh king of Egypt.

¹⁰ »Stone him to death because he has sought to draw you away from Jehovah your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

¹⁵ »Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this today!

⁶ »‘The Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us. They imposed hard labor on us. ⁷ »‘We cried out to Jehovah, the God of our fathers, and Jehovah heard our voice. He saw our affliction and our toil and our oppression. ⁸ »‘Jehovah brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders.

⁵ Jehovah his God handed him over to the king of Aram, who defeated him, captured many prisoners, and brought them to Damascus. He also handed him over to the king of Israel, who decisively defeated him.

⁷ »Listen, my people, and I will speak. Hear O Israel, while I testify against you: I am God, your God!

¹⁰ »I, Jehovah, am your God! I brought you up from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

¹ Jehovah proclaims: »At that time I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.«

³³ »This is the covenant (agreement) that I will make with Israel after those days,« declares Jehovah. »I will put my teachings (Law) inside them. I will write those teachings (Law) on their hearts (inner man) (mind) (will) (conscience) (understanding). I will be their God, and they will be my people.«

⁴ »I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD. I brought you out of Egypt. You have known no god besides me. There is no savior except me.

²⁹ Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the nations also? Yes, of the nations also.

¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Greek. The same Lord (God) of all is abounding in riches for all who call on him.

¹¹ »Who among the gods is like you Jehovah? Who is like you, wonderful in holiness? Who can work wonders and mighty acts like yours?

²³ »Do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gold to be worshiped in addition to me.

⁷ »‘Do not have any other god but me.

⁵ »You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with your entire mind and with all your strength.

¹⁴ »Do not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.

¹⁸ »As we advanced to this land, Jehovah drove out all the Amorites who lived here. We also will serve Jehovah. He is our God!« ¹⁹ Joshua said to the people: »You may not be able to serve Jehovah. He is a holy God and will not forgive your sins. He will tolerate no rivals, ²⁰ and if you leave him to serve foreign gods, he will turn against you and punish you. He will destroy you, even though he was good to you before.« ²¹ The people said to Joshua: »No! We will serve Jehovah!« ²² Joshua replied: »You are your own witnesses to the fact that you have chosen to serve Jehovah.« They said: »We are witnesses!« ²³ »Remove the foreign gods you have.« He demanded: »Pledge your loyalty to Jehovah, the God of Israel.« ²⁴ The people said to Joshua: »We will serve Jehovah our God. We will obey his commands.«

²⁹ EVERY NATION MADE GODS FOR THEMSELVES. They put them in the houses of the high places the Samaritans had made. ³⁰ The men of Babylon made Succothbenoth and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, ³¹ The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites gave their children to be burned in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. ³² So they worshipped Jehovah. They appointed priests from the people for the high places. The priests were to make offerings for them in the houses of the high places. ³³ They worshipped Jehovah, but they gave honor to their gods like the nations did from whom they had been taken as prisoners. ³⁴ So to this day they go on in their old ways. They do not worship Jehovah. They do not keep his orders, his ways, or the law Jehovah gave to the children of Jacob. They are the ones he gave the name Israel. ³⁵ Jehovah made an agreement with them and gave them orders, saying: You are to have no other gods. You are not to worship them or be their servants or make them offerings.

² Give to Jehovah the glory his name deserves. Worship Jehovah in his holy splendor.

²⁵ Who have I in heaven but you? I desire none on earth except you.

⁹ »You must have no strange god among you. Do not worship any foreign god.

⁴ »Trust in Jehovah forever, for Jah, Jehovah, is the Rock eternal.

¹⁰ »YOU ARE MY WITNESSES,« DECLARES JEHOVAH! »I have chosen you as my servant so that you can know and believe in me and understand that I am the one who did this. No god was formed before me, and there will be none after me.

⁸ »‘Do not tremble. Do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses! Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock. There is not one!’«

²¹ »Speak and present your case. Yes, let them consult one another. Who revealed this in the distant past and predicted it long ago? Was it not I, Jehovah? There is no other God except me. There is no other righteous God and Savior besides me. ²² »Turn to me and be saved! Turn to me all who live at the ends of the earth for I am God, and there is no other.

⁹ »Remember the former things, the things of long ago. I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me.

⁶ »Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them. Do not make me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. Then I will not harm you.«

¹⁵ »I have sent all my servants the prophets to you again and again. They said: Turn from your evil ways, do what is right, and do not follow other gods in order to serve them. Then you will live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors. However, you refused to listen to me or obey me.

¹⁰ »Go away, Satan!« demanded Jesus. »It is written, »It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’« (Deuteronomy 6:13-15)

⁴ Concerning the eating of food offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

⁶ But to us there is but one God, the Father. All things come from him and we live for him. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ. All things were made through him and we were made through him.

⁵ For you know this with certainty, that no fornicator, no unclean person, no covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

¹⁹ Their end is destruction. Their god is their belly. Their glory is in their shame. They set their mind on earthly things.

¹⁸ Let no man rob you of your prize by a self-abasement and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things that he has seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

²⁰ We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding. We know him that is true for we are in him who is true, [and] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and everlasting life. ²¹ My little children guard (protect) yourselves from idols.

¹⁰ I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me: »Do not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers. You have the witness from Jesus: worship God! For the witness from Jesus is the spirit (mind-set) of prophecy.«

⁹ He said to me: »Do not do that, for I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and of those who obey the words of this book: worship God.«

¹ The people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron. They said to him: »We do not know what has happened to Moses, the man who led us out of Egypt. Make gods to lead us.«

⁸ »They have already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They made a statue of a calf for themselves. They have bowed down to it and offered sacrifices to it. They said: »Israel, here is your god who brought you out of Egypt.’«

²³ »They said to me: ‘That man Moses led us out of Egypt, but now we do not know what has happened to him. Make us a god to lead us.’«

¹⁷ »Do not make idol gods for yourself.

⁴ »‘Do not turn to worthless gods or cast metal idols. Never make any gods for yourselves. I am Jehovah your God.

¹⁵ »Be careful! When God spoke to you from the fire, he was invisible. ¹⁶ »Do not commit the sin of worshiping idols. Do not make idols to be worshiped, whether they are shaped like men, women, ¹⁷ animals on the earth, birds that fly in the air, ¹⁸ or they are like reptiles that creep on the ground, or fish from the water. ¹⁹ »Do not be tempted to bow down and worship the sun or moon or stars (the host or army of the heavens). Jehovah put them there a heritage for all the people under the heavens.

²³ »Take care of yourselves. Do not forget the covenant of Jehovah your God, which he made with you. Do not make a graven image, or the likeness of anything, which Jehovah your God has forbidden. ²⁴ »For Jehovah your God is a consuming fire, even a totally demanding zealous God. (He requires exclusive devotion!) ²⁵ »When you have children, and grandchildren, and you have remained in the land a long time do not corrupt yourselves. If you make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and do evil in the sight of Jehovah your God, you will provoke him to anger:

⁸ »‘Do not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above, or on the earth below, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

¹⁵ »‘Cursed is the man who makes an idol or a molten image. It is an abomination to Jehovah! It is the secret work of the hands of the craftsman. All the people will answer: Amen.

²⁸ After asking for advice, the king made two golden calves. He said: You have been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.

⁷ Manasseh had a carved idol made. Then he set it up in God’s Temple, where God had said to David and his son Solomon: »I have chosen this temple and Jerusalem from all the tribes of Israel. I will put my name here from generation to generation.

⁷ All those who serve graven images are put to shame. Those who boast themselves in idols and all God-like ones bow down before Him.

⁴ Their idols are made of silver and gold. Human hands made them. ⁵ They have mouths, but they cannot speak. They have eyes, but they cannot see. ⁶ They have ears, but they cannot hear. They have noses, but they cannot smell. ⁷ They have hands, but they cannot feel. They have feet, but they cannot walk. They cannot even make a sound with their throats. ⁸ Those who make idols end up like them. So does everyone who trusts them.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of man's hands. ¹⁶ They have mouths, but they do not speak. They have eyes, but they do not see. ¹⁷ They have ears, but they do not hear. There is no breath in their mouths. ¹⁸ Those who make them will be like them, everyone who trusts in them.

¹⁸ To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to? ¹⁹ As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. ²⁰ A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.

⁸ »I ALONE AM JEHOVAH. THAT IS MY NAME. I WILL NOT GIVE MY GLORY TO ANOTHER! I will not let idols share my praise.

¹⁷ Those who trust in idols and call images their gods will be humiliated and disgraced.

⁹ All who make idols are nothing. The things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind. They are shamefully ignorant. ¹⁰ Who shapes a god and casts a useless and good for nothing idol. ¹¹ He and his kind will be put to shame. Craftsmen are merely men. Let them all come together and take their stand for they will be brought down to terror and infamy. ¹² The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals. He shapes an idol with hammers; he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He drinks no water and grows faint. ¹³ The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a red chalk marker. He roughs it out with chisels and marks it with a compass. He shapes it in the form of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. ¹⁴ He cut down cedars, or cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. ¹⁵ It is man’s fuel for burning so he takes some to warm himself. He kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it. Yes he makes an idol and bows down to it. ¹⁶ Half of the wood they burn in the fire. Over this half they roast meat that they can eat until they are full. They also warm themselves and say: We are warm. We can see the fire! ¹⁷ But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them and say: »Rescue us, because you are our gods.« ¹⁸ They do not know or understand anything. Their eyes are plastered shut and cannot see. Their minds are closed and therefore they cannot understand. ¹⁹ No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say: »I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood.« ²⁰ They eat ashes because they are deceived. Their own misguided minds lead them astray. They cannot rescue themselves or ask themselves: »Is what I hold in my right hand a false god?«

¹⁶ The makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced. They will go off into disgrace together.

⁵ »To whom will you compare me or count me equal? To whom will you liken me that we may be compared? ⁶ »Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales. They hire a goldsmith to make it into a god. They bow down and worship it. ⁷ »They lift it to their shoulders and carry it. They set it up in its place and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer. It cannot save him from his troubles! ⁸ »Remember this! Keep it in mind and take it to heart, you rebels.

³ The people’s customs are erroneous and empty. It is wood cut from the forest. It is the work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. ⁴ »They decorate it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not tip over. ⁵ »They are like scarecrows in cucumber fields. They cannot speak. They must be carried, for they cannot walk! Do not fear them! For they can do no harm and they can do no good.«

⁸ They are very stupid and foolish. They teach vanity to a tree. Their idol is wood! ⁹ Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. It is the work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith. Violet and purple are their clothing. They are all the work of skilled men.

¹⁴ Every man is stupid lacking knowledge. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. His molten images are deceitful. There is no breath in them. ¹⁵ They are worthless, a work of mockery. In the time of their punishment they will perish. ¹⁶ Jacob’s share is not like this. For he made everything! Israel is the tribe of his inheritance. Jehovah of Hosts is his name.

¹⁰ So I entered and looked, and behold, every form of creeping things and beasts and detestable things. There were all the idols of the house of Israel. They were carved on the wall all around.

²⁹ »Being then the offspring of God, we should not think that the divine being is like gold, or silver, or stone, a device made by man’s design or skill.

²⁶ »You see and hear that Paul, in Ephesus and throughout all Asia, has persuaded and turned away many people. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. ²⁷ »There is danger that our trade will lose its good name. The temple of the great goddess Artemis (Diana) would then become useless. The goddess who is worshiped in all Asia would be robbed of her divine majesty.« ²⁸ When they heard this they were filled with anger. They shouted: »Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.« ²⁹ The city was filled with the confusion. They rushed with one accord into the theatre and seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel. ³⁰ Paul wanted to enter the theatre with the people but his disciples would not permit it. ³¹ Some of the officials and his friends sent him a message begging him not to enter the theatre. ³² Some cried one thing and others another for the crowd was in confusion. Most of them did not know why they assembled. ³³ The crowd of Jews thrust Alexander forward. Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted to make a defense to the people. ³⁴ They perceived that he was a Jew and all with one voice shouted for two hours: »Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.« ³⁵ The city recorder quieted the crowd. He said: »You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?

²³ They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

²⁰ The rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.

¹⁴ And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles he had power to do in the sight of the beast. He says to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast that had the wound by a sword and yet lives. ¹⁵ He had power to give breath to the image of the beast and to make that image of the beast speak. He caused many to be killed, those who would not worship the image of the beast.

⁹ The third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: »If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, ¹⁰ »the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation. He will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ »The smoke of their torment will ascend forever and ever. They who worship the beast and his image and receive the mark of his name have no rest day or night.

² The first poured out his bowl on the earth. A painful and grievous sore appeared on the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshiped his image.

²⁴ »Do not worship or serve their gods or follow their practices. You must destroy their gods and crush their sacred stones.

⁶ Jehovah then passed in front of him and called out: »I, Jehovah, am a God who is full of compassion and pity. I am not easily angered and show great love and faithfulness. ⁷ »I keep my promise for thousands of generations and forgive evil and sin. But I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their fathers.«

¹⁴ »Do not worship any other god but Jehovah for his reputation is filled with zeal, and he is a God who demands exclusive devotion.

⁵ »‘I will condemn them and their families. I will exclude them from the people. I will exclude from the people everyone who chases after Molech as if he were a prostitute.

²⁹ »‘You will eat the bodies of your sons and daughters.

³⁹ »‘Those who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins and the sins of their ancestors. ⁴⁰ »‘However if they confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors and the treacherous things they did to oppose me,

¹⁸ »Jehovah is patient, forever loving; He forgives wrongdoing and disobedience. He never lets the guilty go unpunished. In fact he punishes children for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation.

³³ »‘Your children will be shepherds in the desert for forty years. They will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies dead in the desert.

²⁴ »For Jehovah your God is a consuming fire, even a totally demanding zealous God. (He requires exclusive devotion!)

⁹ »‘Do not bow down to them. Do not serve them! For I Jehovah your God am a totally demanding zealous God. I require exclusive devotion and punish the fathers and children who hate me to the third and fourth generation.

¹⁵ »Jehovah your God is a totally demanding zealous God. He tolerates no rivals! The anger of Jehovah your God will burn against you. He will then destroy you from the face of the earth.

¹⁰ »He destroys everyone who hates him. He never takes long to pay back anyone who hates him.

²¹ »They made him furious because they worshiped foreign gods. They angered him because they worshiped worthless idols. So I will use those who are not my people to make them jealous and a nation of godless fools to make them angry.

⁴¹ »I sharpen my flashing sword, and my hand takes hold on justice! I will render vengeance on my adversaries. I will repay those who hate me.

⁷ »You will not associate with these peoples left among you or speak the names of their gods or use those names in taking vows or worship those gods or bow down to them.

¹⁶ »If you do not obey the covenant Jehovah your God commanded you to obey and if you serve and worship other gods, then in his anger he will punish you. Soon none of you will be left in this good land that he gave you.«

¹⁹ Joshua said to the people: »You may not be able to serve Jehovah. He is a holy God and will not forgive your sins. He will tolerate no rivals,

¹⁹ When the judge was dead they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers. They followed other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them. They did not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

² ‘The Israelites were on their way out of Egypt when the nation of Amalek attacked them. I am Jehovah All-Powerful. I am going to make Amalek pay for what he did to Israel! ³ »‘Go and attack the Amalekites! Destroy them and all their possessions. Do not have any pity. Kill their men, women, children, and even their babies. Slaughter their cattle, sheep, camels, and donkeys.’«

¹ There was a famine for three successive years during David’s reign. David asked Jehovah for advice about it. Jehovah answered: »It is because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.«

⁶ »Hand over seven of his male descendants. We will hang them before Jehovah at Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, Jehovah’s chosen king.« The king responded: »I will hand them over to you.«

²⁹ »Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has done this, I will not bring disaster on him during his lifetime. It will be during his son's lifetime that I will bring disaster on Ahab's family.«

³⁵ Jehovah made an agreement with them and gave them orders, saying: You are to have no other gods. You are not to worship them or be their servants or make them offerings.

⁴¹ So these nations worshiped Jehovah and they still served the images (idols) they had made. Their children and their children's children did the same. They do just as their fathers did to this very day.

²⁶ Still the heat of Jehovah’s anger was not turned back from Judah. This is because of all Manasseh had done in moving him to anger.

¹⁴ After Amaziah came back from defeating the Edomites, he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up as his gods, bowed down to them, and burned sacrifices to them.

⁴ »His children are far from help. They are crushed at the court of justice at the city gate. No one is there to rescue them.

¹⁹ »You say: ‘God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let God repay them so they may know.

⁵⁸ They provoked him to anger (indignation) because of their illegal worship sites. They made him furious because they worshiped idols.

⁸ Do not hold the crimes of our ancestors against us. Reach out to us soon with your compassion, because we are helpless.

¹⁵ »Those who hate Jehovah would pretend obedience (submission) to him. Their time of punishment would be long lasting.

¹⁴ Let Jehovah remember the guilt of his ancestors and not wipe out his mother's sin.

³⁴ Jealousy enrages a man. He will not be spared in the day of vengeance. ³⁵ He will not regard any ransom, nor will he be content when you give many gifts.

³⁶ »But he who sins against me wrongs himself. All who hate me love death.«

²⁰ You ruined your country and killed your own people. For that reason, you will not be buried like other kings. None of your evil family will survive. ²¹ »Prepare a slaughtering place! The sons of this king will die because of their ancestors' sins. None of them will ever rule the earth or cover it with cities.«

¹⁵ It is man’s fuel for burning so he takes some to warm himself. He kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it. Yes he makes an idol and bows down to it.

¹⁹ No one stops to think. No one has enough knowledge or understanding to say: »I burned half of the wood in the fire. I also baked bread over its coals. I roasted meat and ate it. Now I am making the rest of the wood into a disgusting thing and bowing to a block of wood.«

⁶ »See, it stands written before me. I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps ⁷ both your sins and the sins of your fathers, says Jehovah. This is because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills. I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds.«

⁹ »That is why I will bring charges against you, proclaims Jehovah, and I will bring charges against your grandchildren.

¹⁸ »You show loving kindness to thousands, but repay the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them. O great and mighty God. Jehovah of Hosts is his name.

³ It stretched out what looked like a hand and grabbed me by the hair on my head. In these visions from God, the Spirit carried me between heaven and earth. He took me in vision to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located.

² Jehovah (YHWH) allowed Nebuchadnezzar to capture Jehoiakim king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar carried part of the vessels of the house of God into the Plain of Shinar [in Babylon]. He brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

² Jehovah (YHWH) is a zealous God requiring exclusive devotion (tolerates no rivals). Jehovah takes vengeance (punishment) against his adversaries. He reserves (maintains) wrath (indignation) (displeasure) against his enemies.

⁹ »I will give all this to you,« the Devil told Jesus, »if you kneel down and worship me.«

³⁴ »Look! I am sending you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will torture and kill. Others you will torment and persecute from city to city. ³⁵ »You are responsible for all the righteous blood shed on earth. That includes the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. ³⁶ »I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation (those living at that time).

⁷ »The world has no reason to hate you. But it hates me because I testify that its works are evil.

¹⁸ »If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.

²³ »He who hates me hates my Father also. ²⁴ »If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would have no sin. They have seen and hated both my Father and me.

³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

⁷ This is because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God. It is not subject to the law of God for it cannot be.

²² Do we provoke Jehovah to rivalry (indignation) (anger)? Are we stronger than he?

⁴ Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity (hatred) (hostility) toward God? Whoever would be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

³⁷ »He loved your fathers. Therefore he chose their descendants. In fact he watched over you and he brought you out of Egypt with his mighty power.

²⁹ If only they had such a heart in them that they would respect (reverence) me and obey all my commandments for as long as they live! Then things would go well for them and their children from generation to generation.’

⁹ »Keep in mind that Jehovah your God is the only true God. He is the faithful God. He keeps his promise and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love him and obey his commandments.

³⁹ »I will give them the same attitude and the same purpose so that they will respect and reverence me as long as they live. This will be for their good and for the good of their children. ⁴⁰ »I will make an eternal promise to them that I will never stop blessing them. I will make them respect me so that they will never turn away from me.

¹⁵ »If you love me, you will keep (obey) my commandments!

²¹ »He that has my commandments, and obeys them loves me. My Father will love the person who loves me. I will love him and disclose myself to him.«

³⁹ »The promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as Jehovah our God calls.« (Micah 4:5) (Deuteronomy 6:4)

²⁸ Concerning the good news, they are enemies for your sakes. With reference to the chosen ones, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake. ²⁹ The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.

¹⁹ We love, because he first loved us.

³ For this is the love of God, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

⁶ This is love that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment that you heard from the beginning. You should walk in it.

¹² »‘Do not swear falsely by my name, so as to profane the name of your God. I am Jehovah.

¹¹ The Israelite woman's son began cursing Jehovah’s name and treating it with contempt. So they brought him to Moses. ¹² They held him in custody until Jehovah told them what to do. ¹³ Jehovah spoke to Moses: ¹⁴ »The man who cursed my name must be taken outside the camp. All who heard him curse my name must lay their hands on his head. Then the whole congregation must stone him to death. ¹⁵ »Inform the Israelites: ‘Those who treat their God with contempt will be punished for their sin. ¹⁶ »‘However those who curse Jehovah’s name must be put to death. The whole congregation must stone them to death. It makes no difference whether they are Israelites or foreigners. Whoever curses (abuses) Jehovah’s name must die.

¹¹ »‘Do not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain. Jehovah will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain.

²⁰ »Respect Jehovah your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name.

¹² »I pray that you will swear to me by Jehovah, since I have showed you kindness that you will also show kindness to my father’s house, and give me a true token(sign) (pledge of truth);

¹⁷ The men said to her: »We will be free from this oath you made us swear.

²⁰ »This we will do to them. We will even let them live in case we become angry. This is because of the oath we swore to them.«

¹ There was a famine for three successive years during David’s reign. David asked Jehovah for advice about it. Jehovah answered: »It is because of Saul and his family. They are guilty of murder because they killed the people of Gibeon.« ² The Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were left over from the Amorites. The Israelites swore to spare them. Saul, in his eagerness, tried to destroy them for Israel and Judah. The king called the Gibeonites.

⁹ »However you must not let him go unpunished. You know what to do. You must make sure he is put to death.«

¹⁴ »Bring your thanks to God as a sacrifice, and pay (make good) your vows to the Most High. ¹⁵ »Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.« ¹⁶ But God says to the wicked: »How dare you quote my decrees and mouth my covenant!

⁹ If I am full I could deny you and say, »Who is Jehovah?« Or if I am poor and steal, I could take God’s name in vain.

² if you take the oath, as Jehovah lives in an honest, fair, and right way, then the nations will be blessed, and in him they will glory.«

³³ »You were also told that you should keep a promise (oath). Always keep your promises (vows) to Jehovah. ³⁴ »I tell you, offer no promises at all, not by heaven, because it is God’s throne. ³⁵ »Not by earth, for it is the footstool under His feet. Not by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶ »And do not promise by your head, for you cannot even control the hair on your head. ³⁷ »Let your answer be ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

¹⁶ »Woe to you, you blind guides! You say, ‘When you swear by the temple, it is nothing.’ Then you say, ‘When you swear by the gold of the temple, you are obligated.’ ¹⁷ »You fools! You blind men! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ »‘When you swear by an altar, you owe nothing. When you swear by the gift left on the altar, you are obligated. ¹⁹ »You blind men! What is more important, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ²⁰ »He who swears by the altar, swears by it and everything on it. ²¹ »He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him that dwells within it. ²² »Thus, he who swears by heaven also swears by the throne of God and him who sits on it.

⁶³ Jesus said nothing. The high priest said to him: »I put you on oath, by the living God, that you will tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.« ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him: »You said it yourself. And I say to you, after this you will see the Son of man seated at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.«

²³ But I call God for a witness against me. To spare you I did not come to Corinth.

¹⁶ Men swear by someone greater then themselves: and an oath for confirmation to them puts an end to the problem. ¹⁷ When God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he confirmed it with an oath.

¹² Above all things, my brothers do not swear by heaven, or by earth, or by any other oath. Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No. That way you will not fall under judgment.

³ God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. This is because he rested from all the work of creation he had done.

²³ Moses said: »Jehovah has commanded that tomorrow is a holy day of rest, dedicated to God. Bake today what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Whatever is left should be put aside and kept for tomorrow.« ²⁴ They kept what was left until the next day as Moses commanded. It did not spoil or get worms in it. ²⁵ Moses said: »Eat this today, because today is the Sabbath, a day of rest dedicated to Jehovah. You will not find any food outside the camp. ²⁶ »You shall gather it for six days. But on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there shall be none.« ²⁷ Some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather. They did not find any. ²⁸ Jehovah spoke to Moses: »How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my instructions? ²⁹ »Jehovah has given you the Sabbath. He gives you bread for two days on the sixth day. Remain every man in his place! Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.« ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

¹² »Work six days a week. Do no work on the seventh day. Allow your slaves and the foreigners who work for you and even your animals to rest.

¹³ »Speak to the people of Israel. Say: ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This is a sign between you and me throughout your generations that you may know that I am Jehovah, the one who sanctifies you. ¹⁴ »‘You are to observe the Sabbath. It is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it will absolutely be put to death. Whoever does any work on it will be removed from his people. ¹⁵ »‘Work may be done for six days. The seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete rest. It is holy to Jehovah. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day will definitely be put to death. ¹⁶ »‘The Israelites must observe the Sabbath and celebrate the Sabbath throughout their generations as a long lasting covenant.

³ »‘Respect your mother and father. Observe my days of worship. I am Jehovah your God!

³⁰ »‘Observe my days of worship and respect my holy tent. I am Jehovah.

³ »‘You may work for six days. But the seventh day is a day of worship (Sabbath), a day when you do not work, and a holy assembly. Do not do any work. It is Jehovah’s day of worship wherever you live.

² »‘Keep the religious festivals and honor the place where I am worshiped. I am Jehovah.

⁴ For Jehovah says: »To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me. They hold fast to my covenant. ⁵ »I will give to those within my Temple and its walls a memorial and a name that is better than sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. ⁶ »Foreigners have become allied with Jehovah, to serve Jehovah, to love the name of Jehovah, and to worship him. They keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and hold fast to my covenant.

²¹ »You may work six days. On the seventh day you must not work. Even during the time of plowing or harvesting you must not work on this day.

² »You may work for six days. The seventh day is a holy day of worship (a Sabbath). It is a day when you do not work. It is dedicated to Jehovah. Whoever does any work on this day should be put to death.

¹⁴ The official of the synagogue was angry that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. He told the people: »There are six days in which we should work. Come during those days and be healed, not on the Sabbath!«

² By the seventh day God had finished his work. He rested from all his work on the seventh day. ³ God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. This is because he rested from all the work of creation he had done.

²⁷ Some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather. They did not find any. ²⁸ Jehovah spoke to Moses: »How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my instructions?

⁹ »Do not mistreat a foreigner. You know how it feels to be a foreigner. After all you were foreigners in Egypt. ¹⁰ »Plant your land and gather in what it produces for six years. ¹¹ »Let your land rest the seventh year. Do not harvest anything that grows on it. The poor may eat what grows there. The wild animals may have what is left. Do the same with your vineyards and your olive trees. ¹² »Work six days a week. Do no work on the seventh day. Allow your slaves and the foreigners who work for you and even your animals to rest.

¹³ »Speak to the people of Israel. Say: ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This is a sign between you and me throughout your generations that you may know that I am Jehovah, the one who sanctifies you.

³² One time, while the Israelites were still in the wilderness, a man was found gathering firewood on the Sabbath. ³³ He was taken to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation. ³⁴ They held him in custody until they decided what to do with him. ³⁵ Jehovah said to Moses: »This man must be put to death. The whole congregation must take him outside the camp and stone him.« ³⁶ So the whole congregation took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as Jehovah commanded Moses.

¹⁴ »‘The seventh day is the Sabbath of Jehovah your God: in it you should not do any work. Your son and daughter should not work. Your manservant and maidservant should not work. Your ox, donkey, cattle or any stranger living with you should not work. Your manservant and maidservant should rest as much as you do. ¹⁵ »‘Remember that you were servants in the land of Egypt, and that Jehovah your God brought you out through a mighty act. Jehovah your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

¹¹ »Enjoy yourselves in the presence of Jehovah your God along with your sons, daughters, male and female slaves, the Levites who live in your cities, the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. Enjoy yourselves at the place Jehovah your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. ¹² »Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. Carefully obey these laws.

¹⁴ »Do not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns. ¹⁵ »Pay him his wages on the workday day before the sunsets. He is poor and sets his heart on it. He will not complain against you to Jehovah and it becomes your sin. ¹⁶ »Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers. Everyone shall be put to death for his own sin. ¹⁷ »Do not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan. Do not take a widow's garment in pledge. ¹⁸ »Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and that Jehovah your God redeemed you from there. I therefore command you to do this. ¹⁹ »When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that Jehovah your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. ²⁰ »When you beat the olives from your olive tree, you shall not go over the boughs again. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. ²¹ »When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not go over it again. It shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow. ²² »You must remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. I am commanding you to do this.

³¹ If the peoples of the lands come to do trade in goods or food on the Sabbath day, that we would do no trade with them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. In the seventh year we would take no payment from any debtor.

¹⁵ In those days, I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes on the Sabbath, and harvesting grain and putting it on Asses; as well as wine and grapes and figs and all sorts of goods that they took into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I gave witness against them on the day when they were marketing food. ¹⁶ There were men of Tyre there. They came with fish and all sorts of goods, trading with the children of Judah and in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ Then I made protests to the chiefs of Judah, and said to them: »What is this evil you are doing, not keeping the Sabbath day holy? ¹⁸ »Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God send all this evil on us and on this town? You are causing more anger to come on Israel by not keeping the Sabbath holy.« ¹⁹ When the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the gate to be shut and not to be open again until after the Sabbath. I put some of my servants by the gate so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day. ²⁰ So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice. ²¹ Then I gave witness against them and said: »Why are you waiting all night by the wall? If you do so again I will have you taken prisoners.« From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath.

⁵⁶ They returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

¹ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² The earth was without form and empty. Darkness covered the deep water. The Spirit of God hovered over the waters.

²⁸ God blessed them and said to them: »Be fruitful and increase in number. Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and dominate the birds of the air. Have dominion over every living creature that moves on the ground.«

¹⁷ »‘It is a long lasting sign between the people of Israel and me for the reason that Jehovah made heaven and earth in six days. Then He ceased from work and was refreshed on the seventh day.’«

⁴ Deep places of the earth are in his hand. The strength of the mountains is also His. ⁵ The sea is his. He made it and his hands formed the dry land. ⁶ Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before Jehovah our maker. ⁷ For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today hear His voice!

²⁷ »The Sabbath was made for man, said Jesus, and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ »The Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath.«

⁷ On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul spoke to them. Intending to depart the next morning he prolonged his speech until midnight.

¹⁵ »He who strikes (beats) his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.

¹⁷ »Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.

³² »‘Show respect to the elderly, and honor older people. In this way you show respect for your God. I am Jehovah.

²⁶ »I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day that you will soon utterly perish from off the land you possess the other side of the Jordan. You will not prolong your days upon it, but will be destroyed.

⁴⁰ »You must keep the regulations and commandments I commanded you today. Then all will go well with you and with your children after you. You may prolong your days on the earth that Jehovah your God gives you for all time.«

¹⁶ »‘Honor your father and your mother, as Jehovah your God commands you and your days will be prolonged and things will go well with you, in the land Jehovah gives you.

¹⁵ »You must have a full and just weight. You should have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land Jehovah your God gives you.

⁴⁷ »It is not an idle talk! Indeed it is your life. By this word you will prolong your days in the land you to possess on the other side of the Jordan.«

¹⁹ So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed down to her. He took his place on the king's throne and she sat at his right hand on the seat made ready for the king's mother.

¹² Elisha saw it and cried out to Elijah: »My father, my father! Mighty defender of Israel! You are gone!« He never saw Elijah again. In grief Elisha tore his cloak in two.

⁸ My son, listen to the instruction of your father. Do not forsake the law of your mother. ⁹ Discipline and education are a graceful ornament on your head, and a golden chain around your neck.

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand. In her left hand are riches and honor.

⁵ A fool despises his father's instruction, but he who accepts discipline is prudent.

²⁰ He who curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in obscure darkness.

²² Listen to your father who gave you life. Do not despise your mother when she is old. ²³ Buy the truth and do not sell it. Also buy wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. ²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice and he who gives birth to a wise child will receive joy from him. ²⁵ Your father and your mother will be glad. She who bore you will rejoice.

²⁴ Whoever robs his father or mother, and says: »It is no transgression;« the same is the companion of a man who destroys.

¹¹ There is a generation that curses their father, and doe not bless their mother.

¹⁷ The eye that mocks his father, and rejects obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley pick it out, and the young eagles eat it.

⁶ Jehovah of Hosts declares to the priests: »Children honor their parents and servants honor their masters. I am your father. Why do you not honor me? I am your master. Why do you not respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask: How have we despised you?«

⁴ »God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ ‘He who says evil of father or mother will be put to death.’ ⁵ »You teach that a man should tell his father or mother that what he has that could help them, is given to God. ⁶ »You say there is no need for him to give honor to his father. You have invalidated the word of God because of your tradition!

¹⁹ »Honor your father and your mother, and Love your neighbor as yourself.«

¹⁰ »Moses said: ‘Honor your father and your mother. He also said: ‘He that speaks evil of father or mother must die.’

¹⁹ »You know the commandments, do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.«

²⁰ »You know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, and do not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother.«

²¹ Be subject (obedient) (subordinate) to one another in reverence of Christ.

¹ Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. ² Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. ³ Then it will go well with you, and you may live long on the earth.

²⁰ Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing in the Lord.

⁸ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. ⁹ Jehovah asked Cain: »Where is your brother Abel?« »I do not know,« he replied. »Am I my brother’s keeper?« ¹⁰ Jehovah said: »What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood (life) cries out to me from the ground. ¹¹ »Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² »When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer (vagabond) on the earth.« ¹³ Cain said to Jehovah: »My punishment is more than I can bear. ¹⁴ »You are driving me from the land today. I will be hidden from your presence. I will be a restless (homeless) wanderer on the earth. And whoever finds me will kill me.« ¹⁵ Jehovah replied to him: »If anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over.« Then Jehovah put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. ¹⁶ Cain went out from Jehovah’s presence and lived in the land of Nod (Fugitiveness). Nod is east of Eden. ¹⁷ Cain had intercourse with his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Later Cain built a city. He named it after his son Enoch. ¹⁸ To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. ¹⁹ Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. ²⁰ Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. ²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. ²² Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of copper and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah. ²³ Lamech said to his wives: »Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.

⁵ »I will require your lifeblood as an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. I will demand an accounting from each man for the life of his fellow man. ⁶ »Whoever sheds the blood of man will have his blood shed by man. For man was made in the image of God.

¹⁴ »If a man schemes and kills a man deliberately remove him from my altar and put him to death.

²⁰ »If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished.

²⁹ »If an ox was previously in the habit of goring and its owner has been warned, yet he does not confine it and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death.

²¹ »‘Whoever kills an animal shall replace it, but whoever kills a human being shall be put to death.

¹⁶ »If any of you uses an iron weapon to kill another person, you are a murderer. Murderers must be put to death. ¹⁷ »If any of you picks up a stone as a weapon and uses it to kill another person, you are a murderer. Murderers must be put to death. ¹⁸ »And if any of you picks up a piece of wood as a weapon and uses it to kill another person, you are a murderer. Murderers must be put to death. ¹⁹ »The relative who can avenge the death must make sure a murderer is put to death. When he catches up with the murderer, he must kill him. ²⁰ »If any of you kills someone you hate by shoving him or by deliberately throwing something at him, ²¹ or if you beat your enemy to death with your bare hands, you must be put to death. You are a murderer. The relative who can avenge the death must kill you when he catches up with you, because you are a murderer. ²² »Should you accidentally kill someone who was not your enemy. Maybe you shoved him or threw something at him but did not mean to kill him. ²³ »Or if you drop a big stone, and someone is killed. However, you did not know the person was there, he was not your enemy, and you were not trying to harm him. ²⁴ »Then the community must use these rules in order to decide if you are innocent or if the dead person’s relative can avenge the death. ²⁵ »If you are innocent, the community must protect you from that relative. They must take you back to the city of refuge you fled to. You must live there until the death of the chief priest who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶ »But do not go outside the city of refuge you fled to. ²⁷ »If the relative who can avenge the death finds you outside the city of refuge and kills you, the relative is not guilty of murder. ²⁸ »Accused murderers must stay in their city of refuge until the death of the chief priest. They may go back to their own property only after his death. ²⁹ »These rules apply to you and your descendants wherever you may live. ³⁰ »Those accused of murder may be found guilty and put to death only on the evidence of two or more witnesses. The evidence of one witness is not sufficient to support an accusation of murder. ³¹ »Murderers must be put to death. They cannot escape this penalty by the payment of money. ³² »If they have fled to a city of refuge, do not allow them to make a payment in order to return home before the death of the High Priest. ³³ »If you did this, you would defile the land where you are living. Murder defiles the land, and except by the death of the murderer there is no way to perform the ritual of purification for the land where someone has been murdered. ³⁴ »Do not defile the land where you are living! I am Jehovah and I live among the people of Israel.«

¹⁷ »‘Do not kill.

¹¹ »But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and murders him. If he flees to one of these cities, ¹² »the elders of his city will send for him. They will take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die. ¹³ »Do not pity him. Purge the blood of the innocent from Israel that it may go well with you.

⁹ »‘Why have you disobeyed my commands? Why did you do this evil thing? You had Uriah killed in battle! You let the Ammonites kill him. Then you took his wife! ¹⁰ »‘In every generation some of your descendants will die a violent death because you have disobeyed me and have taken Uriah’s wife.

¹⁶ Even more, Manasseh killed many innocent men. He filled Jerusalem from one end to the other with blood. He also caused Judah to sin and do evil in the eyes of Jehovah.

²² King Joash forgot that Zechariah’s father had always been a loyal friend. So when the people of Judah plotted to kill Zechariah, Joash joined them and gave orders for them to stone him to death in the courtyard of the Temple. As Zechariah was dying, he said: »I pray that Jehovah will see this and punish all of you.«

⁸ He waits in ambush in the villages. From his hiding places he kills innocent people. He searches for victims. ⁹ He lurks in his hiding place like a lion in his den. He hides there to catch oppressed people. He catches oppressed people after he draws them into his net. ¹⁰ His victims are crushed. They collapse, and they fall into the power of the wicked. ¹¹ He says in his heart (to himself): »God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He will never see it!«

¹¹ If they say: »Come with us. Let us lie in wait to kill someone. Let us ambush the innocent without cause.

¹⁸ They lie in wait for their own blood (murder). They set an ambush for their own lives.

²¹ Behold! Jehovah is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose (reveal) the bloodshed upon her. She will conceal her slain no longer.

¹⁵ »But if you put me to death, you and everyone else in Jerusalem will be guilty of murdering an innocent man. This is because everything I spoke came from Jehovah.«

²¹ »You were told in the past, do not murder (kill). Any one who murders will be brought to trial. ²² »Now I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother [without cause] shall be guilty before the court. Whoever speaks to his brother with words of contempt shall receive condemnation before the Sanhedrin [Supreme Court]. Curse your brother and you will be guilty enough to be destroyed by fire, with the burning trash, at the Valley of Hinnom, outside of Jerusalem (Greek: Gehenna).

¹⁸ The man replied: »Which law?« And Jesus said: »Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false witness,

⁴ The natives saw the snake hanging on Paul’s hand and said to one another: »This man must be a murderer, but Fate will not let him live, even though he escaped from the sea.«

⁹ For the Law code says: You must not commit adultery, you must not murder, you must not steal, you must not bear false witness, and you must not covet. If there is any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying; namely, you must love your neighbor as yourself.

²¹ envies, drunkenness, revelries, and things like these. I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things would not inherit the kingdom of God.

⁹ Knowing this, that Law is not made for a righteous person. It is for the lawless and unruly, the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, and for manslayers.

¹¹ For he who said: »Do not commit adultery,« also said: »Do not murder« (Greek: phoneuo: kill, slay, murder). Now if you do not commit adultery, but you commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

¹³ For judgment is without mercy to him who shows no mercy. And mercy triumphs over judgment.

¹² We should not be like Cain who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he murder him? It was because his works were evil, and his brother's were righteous. ¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love abides in death. ¹⁵ Whoever hates his brother is a murderer! You know that no murderer has everlasting life remaining in him.

²⁰ »‘Do not have sexual intercourse with your neighbor's wife and become unclean with her.

¹⁰ »‘If a man commits adultery with the wife of an Israelite, both he and the woman should be put to death.

¹⁸ »‘Do not commit adultery.

⁴ So David sent messengers to get her. She came to him and they had sexual intercourse. She had just cleansed herself after her monthly period. Then she went home. ⁵ The woman became pregnant. So she sent someone to tell David that she was pregnant.

²⁷ When her mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to his home. She became his wife. Then she gave birth to a son. However, Jehovah considered David’s actions evil.

¹⁵ The wicked are crooked. They are devious in their ways. ¹⁶ You will be able to resist any immoral woman who tries to seduce you with her smooth talk. ¹⁷ She is unfaithful to her own husband and forgets her sacred vows to God. ¹⁸ If you go to her house, you are traveling the road to death. To go there is to approach the dead.

²⁴ This will keep you from the evil woman and from the smooth tongue of an adulterous woman. ²⁵ Do not lust after her beauty in your heart. Do not let her attract you with her eyelids. ²⁶ A prostitute will cost you your last crust of bread. An adulteress will cost you your life. ²⁷ Can a man have fire in his lap and his clothes not be burned? ²⁸ Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be burned? ²⁹ He who has sex with another mans wife; anyone who embraces her will not be innocent. ³⁰ Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. ³¹ But if he is caught, he must repay sevenfold. He must give everything in his house. ³² He who commits adultery with a woman lacks judgment and destroys himself. ³³ He will get wounds and be dishonored. His shame will not be wiped away.

¹⁸ »Come; let us take our fill of love until morning. Let us comfort ourselves with love. ¹⁹ »My husband is not at home. He went on a long trip. ²⁰ »He took a bag of money with him. He will come home at the appointed day.« ²¹ She seduced him with her persuasive words. She forced him with her flattering lips. ²² He immediately goes after her. He is like a bull that goes to the slaughter. Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, ²³ Till a dart strikes through his liver. The bird hurries to the snare without knowing it would cost his life. ²⁴ Listen to me dear sons and pay attention to the words of my mouth. ²⁵ Do not let your heart go after her ways. Do not stray in her paths. ²⁶ She has wounded many. Many strong men have been slain by her. ²⁷ Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death.

⁸ They were like well-fed stallions wild with desire, each lusting for his neighbor's wife. ⁹ »Why should I not punish the people of Judah?« Says Jehovah, »Should I take retribution (vengeance)?«

²² ‘Because of them, all the captives from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: »May Jehovah curse you as he cursed Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned to death.« ²³ They have done scandalous and disgraceful things in Israel. They committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and spoke lies in my name. I did not command them to do this. »‘»I know what they have done. I am a witness,« says Jehovah.’«

⁵ »I will approach you people for judgment! I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, the adulterers and those acting fraudulently with the wages of the worker, the widow and the fatherless. I will be a speedy witness against those who swear falsely and take advantage of the stranger, and do not show me reverence,« said Jehovah of Hosts.

²⁷ »You have heard it was said, ‘You should not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ »However, I tell you that whoever looks at a woman with lustful thoughts commits adultery with her in his heart.

¹¹ He said: »He who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. ¹² »If she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.

² Law binds the married woman to her husband while he lives. But if the husband dies, she is discharged from the law of the husband. ³ So then if, while the husband lives, she is joined to another man, she will be called an adulteress. If the husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she is joined to another man.

³ Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among holy ones. ⁴ Nor should there be filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For you know this with certainty, that no fornicator, no unclean person, no covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

⁴ Let marriage be honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled: for God will judge fornicators and adulterers.

⁸ »But the fearful and unbelieving, abominable and murderers, fornicators and those practicing spiritism, idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur: which is the second death.«

¹⁶ »Whoever kidnaps another person must be put to death regardless of whether he has sold the kidnapped person or still has him.

¹ Jehovah gave the following regulations to Moses: ² »If any of you sin against Jehovah by failing to do your duty, if you lie to your neighbor about something you were supposed to take care of or if you lie about something stolen or seized from your neighbor, you are sinning and will be guilty. ³ »If you find something that someone lost and lie about it under oath, or commit any other sin like this, ⁴ you have sinned and are guilty. Return what you stole or seized, what you were supposed to take care of, the lost item you found, ⁵ or whatever it was that you swore falsely about. Pay it back in full plus one-fifth more. Give it back to its owner on the day you bring your guilt offering. ⁶ »Then bring your guilt offering to Jehovah. Bring a ram that has no defects or its value in money. Bring it to the priest. ⁷ »The priest will pay compensation for your wrong and make peace with Jehovah. Then you will be forgiven for whatever you did that made you guilty.«

¹¹ »‘Do not steal. Do not deal falsely. Do not lie to one another.

¹³ »‘Do not oppress your neighbor and do not rob him. Do not fail to pay your workers at the end of each day.

³⁵ »‘Do not be corrupt when administering justice concerning length, weight, or measuring liquid. ³⁶ »‘Use honest scales, honest weights, and honest measures. I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of Egypt. ³⁷ »‘Obey all my laws and all my rules, and live by them. I am Jehovah!’«

⁷ »If a man is caught kidnapping any of his brothers of the sons of Israel, and he deals with him violently or sells him, the thief shall die. You will purge the evil from among you.

¹³ »Do not have differing weights, a large and a small, in your bag. ¹⁴ »Do not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. ¹⁵ »You must have a full and just weight. You should have a full and just measure, that your days may be prolonged in the land Jehovah your God gives you. ¹⁶ »Everyone who does these things, everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to Jehovah your God.

¹⁹ »For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor and left them destitute. He has violently seized houses he did not build. ²⁰ »He will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. ²¹ »There is nothing left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. ²² »Distress will overtake him in the midst of his plenty. The full force of misery will come upon him.

¹³ »We will find precious material possessions and we fill our houses with plunder. ¹⁴ »Throw in with us. Let us all have one purse.« ¹⁵ My son, do not walk in the way with them. Withhold your food from their path!

¹ A false scale balance is an abomination to Jehovah. A perfect weight is his delight.

¹⁰ »Those who store up violence and robbery in their dwellings do not know how to do what is right,« declared Jehovah.

⁴ »Hear this, you who would swallow up the needy, and cause the poor of the land to fail. ⁵ »You say: When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit. ⁶ »We may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes, and sell the refuse of the wheat?

¹⁰ Is there a depository of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short measure that is cursed? ¹¹ Can I be pure with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful stone weights?

³ They diligently seek to do evil with their hands. The prince asks and the judge is ready for a bribe. The great man utters his own evil desire. They weave it together.

³ He continued: »This is the curse that is upon the land. Every one who steals will be acquitted. Every one who swears falsely will be innocent.« ⁴ »I will cause it to happen,« said Jehovah of Hosts, »and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of he who swears falsely by my name. The curse will abide in the midst of his house and will consume it with the timber and the stones of the house.«

¹⁹ »Evil thoughts come from the heart! Thoughts about murder, adultery, fornication, theft, lying, and slander come from the heart!

¹³ He told them: »It is written, ‘My house is to be named a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a hiding place of thieves.«

¹³ He told them: »Collect no more than that which is prescribed.« ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him: »What must we do?« And he said: »Do not take money from any one by force. Never falsely accuse any one wrongfully and be content with your wages.«

⁶ He did not say this because he cared for the poor. He was a thief. He had the moneybox and took away what was put in it.

¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous (greedy), nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortionists, will inherit the kingdom of God.

²⁸ He that steals must steal no more. Let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to someone in need.

⁶ Let no man defraud his brother in any matter. Jehovah is the avenger of this. We also have warned you and testified.

¹ »Do not spread false rumors. Do not help a guilty person by offering false testimony.

⁶ »Do not deny justice to a poor person at his trial. ⁷ »Do not make false accusations. Do not put an innocent person to death. I will condemn anyone who does this evil thing.

¹⁶ »‘Never gossip. Never endanger your neighbor's life. I am Jehovah.

¹⁵ »One witness is not enough to convict someone of a crime, offense, or sin he may have committed. Cases must be settled based on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ¹⁶ »This is what you must do whenever a witness takes the stand to accuse a person falsely of a crime. ¹⁷ »The two people involved must stand in Jehovah’s presence, in front of the priests and judges who are serving at that time. ¹⁸ »The judges must make a thorough investigation. If it is found that the witness lied when he testified against the other Israelite, ¹⁹ do to him what he planned to do to the other person. Get rid of this evil. ²⁰ »When other people hear about this, they will be afraid. Never again will such an evil thing be done among you. ²¹ »Have no pity on him: Take a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.

⁸ »All of you are plotting against me. No one informed me when my son entered into a loyalty pledge with Jesse’s son. No one felt sorry for me. And no one informed me that my son has encouraged my servant David to ambush me, as he is doing now.« ⁹ Doeg from Edom, standing with Saul’s officials, answered him: »I saw Jesse’s son when he came to Ahimelech, Ahitub’s son, in Nob. ¹⁰ »Ahimelech prayed to Jehovah for David. He gave him food and the sword of Goliath the Philistine.« ¹¹ Then the king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub’s and his entire family who were the priests in Nob. All of them came to the king. ¹² Saul said: »Listen here, son of Ahitub!« He responded: »Here I am lord.« ¹³ Saul asked him: »Why did you and Jesse’s son plot against me? You gave him bread and a sword. You even prayed to God that he could rise up against me and ambush me, as he is doing now.« ¹⁴ Ahimelech asked the king: »But whom among all your officials can you trust like David? Your Majesty, he is your son-in-law, the commander of your bodyguard. He is honored in your own household. ¹⁵ »Is this the first time I have prayed to God for him? Not at all! You should not blame my family or me for this. I knew nothing at all about this.« ¹⁶ The king said: »Ahimelech, you and your entire family are going to die.« ¹⁷ The king said to the guards who were attending him: »Turn around and kill the priests of Jehovah! They are also with David. They knew that he was fleeing and did not reveal it to me. But the servants of the king were not willing to lift a hand to attack the priests of Jehovah.« ¹⁸ The king said to Doeg: »You turn around and attack the priests.« Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests. That day he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹ He also killed the people of Nob, the city of the priests. Using his sword, he killed men and women, children and infants, cows, donkeys, and sheep.

¹⁰ »Get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death.« ¹¹ So the elders and nobles in authority in his town did as Jezebel said in the letter she sent them. ¹² They gave orders for a day of public sorrow and put Naboth at the head of the people. ¹³ The two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people. They said: »Naboth has been cursing God and the king.« Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death.

³ The one who does not malign with his tongue, do evil to a friend, or bring disgrace on his neighbor or close friend.

⁵ I will destroy anyone who secretly slanders his neighbor. I will not tolerate anyone with a conceited look or arrogant heart. ⁶ My eyes will be watching the faithful people in the land so that they may live with me. The person who lives with integrity will serve me. ⁷ The one who does deceitful things will not stay in my home. The one who tells lies will not remain in my presence.

¹⁸ Truly a fool hides hatred with lying lips, and speaks slander.

¹³ A talebearer reveals secrets. He that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished. The liar will not escape.

⁵⁹ The chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for false witness against Jesus. They wanted to put him to death. ⁶⁰ They failed, even though a number of false witnesses came.

¹³ They brought false witnesses, which said: »This man will not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.

³¹ Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and screaming, and abusive speech, be put away (removed) (expiated) from you, along with all malice.

¹⁰ It is for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and everything else that is contrary to the sound teaching.

³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, despisers of those who are good,

¹¹ Brothers, do not speak against each other. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

²³ »I will take nothing. Not a thread or a sandal strap. You will not be able to say: 'I have made Abram rich.’

²³ »Then all their livestock and everything else they own will be ours. So let us agree that they can live among us.«

²¹ »When I saw among the spoils a quality Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them. I hid them in the earth in the middle of my tent.«

¹⁹ »Why then did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Why did you pounce on the plunder? Why did you do evil in the sight of Jehovah?«

² Late one afternoon, David got up from his nap and went to the palace roof. He walked around on the roof. He saw a woman taking a bath. She was very beautiful. ³ He sent a messenger to find out who she was. He learned that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. ⁴ So David sent messengers to get her. She came to him and they had sexual intercourse. She had just cleansed herself after her monthly period. Then she went home.

¹ »I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.

⁹ »If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

³ The wicked person boasts about his selfish desires. He blesses the covetous, which Jehovah abhors.

³⁶ Incline my heart to your laws and not to dishonest gain.

²³ Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it come the source of life.

²⁴ This will keep you from the evil woman and from the smooth tongue of an adulterous woman. ²⁵ Do not lust after her beauty in your heart. Do not let her attract you with her eyelids.

⁸ There is a man who is by himself, without a companion. He is without son or brother. There is no end to all his work. He never has enough wealth. Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. He never asks: »For whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?« This too is vanity and a terrible problem.

¹⁰ He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth, with gain. This too is vanity. ¹¹ When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to see them?

¹⁵ He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hand from accepting bribes, who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil.

¹⁷ Because of the iniquity of his covetousness gain I was angry and struck him. I hid and was angry. He went on backsliding in the way of his heart (his heart directed course of life).

⁸ They were like well-fed stallions wild with desire, each lusting for his neighbor's wife.

¹⁷ »Your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain. You are shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion.«

³¹ »Then they come to you, as if they are still my people, and they sit down in front of you. They listen to what you say, but they do not do it. They say that they love me, but in their hearts they chase dishonest profits.

⁶ Jehovah said: »I will not withdraw punishment for (three sins of Israel, even for four) the many transgressions of Israel! They sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes. ⁷ »They pant after the dust of the earth on the head of lowly (meek) persons. They reject the humble! A man and his father have sexual relations with the same maiden, to profane my holy name.

² »They covet fields and seize them. They covet houses and confiscate them! They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.«

⁹ »He who receives a dishonest profit for his house will have trouble. He may set his nest on high in order to be delivered from the hand of evil!

²⁸ »However, I tell you that whoever looks at a woman with lustful thoughts commits adultery with her in his heart.

¹⁵ »‘Is it lawful for me to do what I wish with what is mine? Or is your eye jealous because I am generous?’

¹⁵ Jesus said: »Be careful, do not covet, for life does not come from your possessions.«

¹⁴ Hearing this the Pharisees made fun of Jesus, because they loved money.

⁴ While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your power? Why did you conceive this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.«

³³ »I coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or clothes.

⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid! I had not known sin except through the law. For I had not known coveting except the law had said: You should not covet.

³ Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among holy ones.

⁵ Make your members that are upon the earth dead with regard to fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (greed), which is idolatry.

⁶ Godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ We brought nothing into the world and we can carry nothing out. ⁸ We should be content with having food and covering. ⁹ Those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts. These draw men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some by longing for it have been led away from the faith. They have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

⁵ You should be free from the love of money. Be content with what you have, for he has said: »I will not leave you. I will not forsake you.«

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain. A very loud trumpet sounded. It caused all the people in the camp to tremble. ¹⁷ Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸ Mount Sinai was all in smoke because Jehovah descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace. The whole mountain quaked violently!

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? ⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in the grave, behold, you are there.

²³ »I am a God who is near,« declares Jehovah. »I am not a God far off!«

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched, to Mount Sinai with its blazing fire, the darkness and the gloom, the storm. ¹⁹ You have not come to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of a voice. When the people heard the voice, they begged not to hear another word.

³⁰ Jacob named that place Peniel (Face of God), because he said: »I have seen God face to face, yet my life was saved.«

²⁰ But he said: »You cannot see my face, because no one may see me and live.«

⁵ »I stood between Jehovah and you at that time, to declare to you the word of Jehovah. You were afraid because of the fire. So you would not go up onto the mountain. He said:

²³ »Fire blazed from the mountain, and you heard the voice coming from the darkness. Then your elders came to me. ²⁴ »They said: ‘Today Jehovah our God has shown us how powerful and glorious he is. He spoke to us from the fire. We learned that people could live, even though God speaks to them. ²⁵ »‘We do not want to take a chance on being killed by that terrible fire. If we hear Jehovah’s voice again we will die. ²⁶ »‘Has any other human ever heard the only true God speaking from fire, as we have? And if they have, would they live to tell about it? ²⁷ »‘They spoke to Moses: ‘Moses, go and listen to everything that Jehovah our God says. Then tell us whatever Jehovah our God tells you. We will listen and obey.’

¹⁶ »This is according to all that you asked of Jehovah your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly. You said: Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God. Do not let me see this great fire anymore, or I will die.

¹⁹ What then is the law? It was added (to cause awareness of sin) because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

¹⁹ You have not come to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of a voice. When the people heard the voice, they begged not to hear another word.

¹¹ Abraham said: »I thought that because there are no people who reverence God in this place, I would be killed because of my wife.

¹ God tested Abraham. He said to him: »Abraham!« Abraham replied: »Here I am.«

¹² »Do not hurt the boy or harm him in any way!« The angel said. »Now I know that you truly obey God, because you were willing to offer him your only son.«

²⁵ Moses cried out to Jehovah. Jehovah showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. Jehovah presented laws and rules for them to live by. He tested them there. ²⁶ He said: »If you will listen carefully to Jehovah your God and do what he considers right, if you pay attention to his commands and obey all his laws, I will never make you suffer any of the diseases I made the Egyptians suffer. I am Jehovah, who heals you.«

¹⁰ »Do you remember the day you stood in the presence of Jehovah your God at Mount Sinai (Horeb)? He said to me: ‘assemble the people. I want them to hear what I have to say, so that they will learn to obey me as long as they live. Then they will teach their children to do the same.’

² »As long as you live, you, your son, and your grandson must respect Jehovah your God. All of you must obey his laws and commandments I give you. Then you will live a long time.

² »Remember the forty years Jehovah your God led you in the wilderness. He did this in order to humble you and test you. He wanted to know what was in your heart. Whether you would obey his commandments.

¹² »Now, O Israel, what does Jehovah your God require from you? You are to respect Jehovah your God. Walk in all his ways and love him! Serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your being.

³ do not listen to them. Jehovah your God is allowing them to test you. He will then know that you love Jehovah with all your heart.

¹⁴ »‘Honor Jehovah and serve him sincerely and in truth. Get rid of the gods that your ancestors used to worship in Mesopotamia and in Egypt, and serve only Jehovah.

²⁰ »Do not be afraid!« Samuel answered. »Even though you have done such an evil thing, do not turn away from Jehovah. Serve him with all your heart.

¹⁵ Earlier rulers who came before me made the people responsible for their upkeep, and took from them bread and wine at the rate of forty shekels of silver. Even their servants were lords over the people. But I did not do so, out of reverence for God.

²⁸ »To man he said: ‘Respect for Jehovah is wisdom! To stay away from evil is understanding.’«

⁷ Respect for Jehovah (YHWH) is the beginning of knowledge (truth) (understanding) (wisdom). Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

⁷ Do not think you are wise enough. Respect Jehovah and turn away from evil.

⁶ Sin is atoned by loving kindness and truth. Respect for Jehovah keeps one away from evil.

¹³ »Remember that Jehovah of Hosts is holy. He is the one you should respect. He is the one you should reverence (venerate) (exalt).«

¹⁰ »‘Do not fear for I am with you! Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain. A very loud trumpet sounded. It caused all the people in the camp to tremble. ¹⁷ Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain.

¹² Solomon prayed: »Jehovah, you have placed the sun in the sky, yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness.

¹ Then Solomon proclaimed: »Jehovah said he would live in a dark cloud.

⁹ He spread apart the heavens and came down with a dark cloud under his feet.

¹² Out of the brightness in front of him, those rain clouds passed by with hailstones and lightning.

² Clouds, gloom and darkness are all around Him. Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of his throne.

² You cover yourself with light as with a cloak. You stretch out clouds in the sky like a curtain.

¹⁶ Only God has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light. No man has seen him, nor can see him. To him be honor and power forever. Amen.

¹³ »You came down on Mount Sinai, and your voice came to them from heaven, giving them right decisions and true laws, good rules and orders.

²⁵ Be careful, then, and do not refuse to hear him who speaks. Those who refused to hear the one who gave the divine message on earth did not escape. How much less shall we escape then, if we turn away from the one who speaks from heaven! ²⁶ His voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised: »I will once more shake not only the earth but also heaven.«

³ »Do not have any other god. ⁴ »Do not make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth, or in the water. ⁵ »Do not worship them or serve them. I, Jehovah your God, am a God demanding exclusive devotion. (I do not tolerate rivals.) I will not share your affection with any other god. I punish children for their parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

¹ The people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain. They gathered around Aaron. They said to him: »We do not know what has happened to Moses, the man who led us out of Egypt. Make gods to lead us.« ² Aaron replied: »Have your wives, sons, and daughters take off the gold earrings they are wearing. Bring them to me.« ³ The people took off their gold earrings and handed them to Aaron. ⁴ After he worked on the gold with a tool, he made it into a statue of a calf. Then they said: »Israel, this is your god, who brought you out of Egypt.«

³¹ So Moses went back to Jehovah and said: »These people have committed such a serious sin! They made a god out of gold for themselves.

⁴ But the next morning they saw that Dagon had again fallen forward on the ground in front of Jehovah’s Ark. Dagon’s head and his two hands were cut off and were lying on the temple’s threshold. The rest of Dagon’s body was intact. ⁵ That is why the priests of Dagon and everyone else who enters Dagon’s temple in Ashdod do not step on the temple’s threshold, even to this day.

³³ They worshipped Jehovah, but they gave honor to their gods like the nations did from whom they had been taken as prisoners.

³⁹ »The Lord Jehovah says: ‘The Lord Jehovah tells all you Israelites to suit yourselves! Go on and serve your idols! But I warn you that after this you will have to obey me and stop dishonoring my holy name by offering gifts to your idols.’

⁸ »They put their doorway by my doorway and their doorposts by my doorposts. Only a wall separated me from them. They dishonored my holy name because of the disgusting things that they have done. So I destroyed them in my anger.

⁴ They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, silver, copper, iron, wood, and of stone.

²³ »You lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of his house before you and your lords, wives and concubines. They drank wine from them. You praise the gods of silver and gold, of copper, iron, wood, and stone, which you do not see, nor hear, nor know. You have not glorified the God whose hand holds your breath and life.

⁵ »I will remove those who bow down to worship the host of heaven on the housetops and those who bow down and swear to Jehovah and yet swear by Malcolm.

²¹ You cannot drink the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons. You cannot be partakers of the Jehovah's Table and of the table of demons. (Malachi 1:12) ²² Do we provoke Jehovah to rivalry (indignation) (anger)? Are we stronger than he?

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship does righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what communion does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does a temple of God have with idols? We are the temple of the living God. God said: I will dwell in them, and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Leviticus 26:12) (Zechariah 8:8)

¹⁸ Let no man rob you of your prize by a self-abasement and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things that he has seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹ not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, grows with the growth from God.

¹⁵ »'Outside are the dogs (impure men) and those who practice spiritism, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who tells lies.'

² »I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing.

¹ Jehovah (YHWH) called to Moses. He spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, He said: ² »Tell the Israelites: ‘When you bring an offering to Jehovah, bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. ³ »‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, it should be a male without defect. He shall offer it at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before Jehovah. ⁴ »‘He should lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering. It may then be accepted for him to make atonement with Jehovah on his behalf. ⁵ »‘Slaughter the bull in Jehovah’s presence. Aaron's sons, the priests, will offer the blood. They will throw it against all sides of the altar that is at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ⁶ »‘Skin the burnt offering, and cut it into pieces. ⁷ »‘The sons of the priest Aaron will start a fire on the altar and lay the wood on the fire. ⁸ »‘Aaron's sons, the priests, will also lay the pieces, the head, and the fat on top of the wood burning on the altar. ⁹ »‘Wash the internal organs and legs. The priest will then burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a soothing aroma to Jehovah. ¹⁰ »‘Should you are offer one of your sheep or goats; it must be a male without any defects. ¹¹ »‘Slaughter it on the north side of the altar. The priests should throw its blood on all four sides of the altar. ¹² »‘After you cut it up, the officiating priest will lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire. ¹³ »‘Wash the internal organs and the hind legs. The priest will present the sacrifice to Jehovah and burn all of it on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to Jehovah. ¹⁴ »‘If you are offering a bird as a burnt offering, it must be a dove or a pigeon. ¹⁵ »‘A priest will take the bird to the copper altar. He will wring its neck and put its head on the fire. Then he will drain out its blood on one side of the altar, ¹⁶ »‘Remove the bird's crop with its feathers, and throw them on the ash heap at the east side of the altar. ¹⁷ »‘Finally, he will take the bird by its wings, tear it partially open, and send it up in smoke with a smell that pleases Jehovah.

¹ »‘If your sacrifice is a fellowship offering of cattle in Jehovah’s presence, it must be a male or female animal that has no defects. ² »‘Put your hand on the head of the animal and kill it at the entrance of the Tent of Jehovah’s presence. Then Aaron’s sons the priests must throw the blood against all four sides of the altar. ³ »‘Offer all of the fat on the animal's insides as a sacrifice of the peace offering made by fire to Jehovah. ⁴ »‘Also use the lower part of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat. ⁵ »‘Some of the priests will lay these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke with a smell that pleases me, together with the sacrifice that is offered to Jehovah. ⁶ »‘If your sacrifice is a fellowship offering of sheep to Jehovah, you must bring a male or female animal that has no defects. ⁷ »‘If your offering is a lamb, you must bring it to Jehovah. ⁸ »‘Place your hand on the animal's head. Slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons will throw the blood against the altar on all sides. ⁹ »‘Take the fat from the fellowship offering and offer it by fire to Jehovah. Remove all the fat from the tail and the fat that covers the internal organs. ¹⁰ »‘Remove the two kidneys with the fat on them along with the lobe of the liver. ¹¹ »‘The priest must burn the offering on the altar. It is food, an offering by fire to Jehovah. ¹² »‘When you offer a goat, offer it before Jehovah. ¹³ »‘Put your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent. The priests will throw its blood against all four sides of the altar. ¹⁴ »‘Offer all of the fat on the animal's insides. ¹⁵ »‘Also the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. ¹⁶ »‘The priest will burn them on the altar. It is food, an offering by fire to Jehovah. It is a soothing aroma. All the fat belongs to Jehovah. ¹⁷ »‘This is a long lasting law for generations to come wherever you live. Never eat any fat or blood.’«

²⁴ »‘»Jehovah will bless you and watch over you.«’« ²⁵ »‘»Jehovah will smile on you and be kind to you. ²⁶ »‘»Jehovah will look on you with favor and give you peace! ²⁷ »‘»Whenever they use my name to bless the Israelites, I will bless them.«’«

¹³ »He will love you, bless you, and increase the number of your descendants. He will bless you with children. He will bless your land with produce: grain, new wine, and olive oil. He will bless your herds with calves, and your flocks with lambs and kids. This will all happen in the land Jehovah will give you, as he swore to your fathers.

⁵ »You should seek Jehovah at the place Jehovah your God chooses out of all your tribes. This is where he will dwell and establish his name. This is where you should go.

¹¹ »It will happen in the place Jehovah choose for his name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you. Bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice vowed offerings that you will vow to Jehovah.

²¹ »If the place Jehovah your God chooses to put his name is too far away from you, you may slaughter an animal from the herds or flocks that Jehovah has given you. Eat as much as you want in your city. I have commanded you to do this.

²³ »You shall eat in the presence of Jehovah your God, at the place where He chooses to establish his name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and your flock, so that you may learn to respect Jehovah your God always.

⁵ »You are not allowed to sacrifice the Passover in any of your towns Jehovah your God is giving you. ⁶ »It must be at the place where Jehovah your God chooses to establish his name. Sacrifice the Passover in the evening at sunset, at the time that you came out of Egypt.

¹¹ »Enjoy yourselves in the presence of Jehovah your God along with your sons, daughters, male and female slaves, the Levites who live in your cities, the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. Enjoy yourselves at the place Jehovah your God will choose as a dwelling for his name.

² »Take some of the first of all the produce of the ground that you bring in from your land that Jehovah your God gives you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where Jehovah your God chooses to establish His name.

¹² King David was told: »Jehovah has blessed Obed Edom’s home and everything he owns because of the Ark of God.« Then David joyfully went to get the Ark of God from Obed Edom’s house and bring it to the City of David.

²⁹ »Watch over this Temple day and night. For this is the place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray.

⁴³ »Listen to him and give him his desire. Let all the peoples of the earth know about your name. Let them worship you as your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have built is truly named by your name.

³ Jehovah said: »I have heard your prayers and your supplication you made. I have made this house holy. I put my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there at all times.

⁶ »Now I have chosen Jerusalem to be a place for my name. I have chosen David to rule my people Israel.

¹⁶ »I have chosen and declared this Temple holy so that my name may be placed there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

¹³ King Rehoboam strengthened his position in Jerusalem and ruled. He was forty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah chose from all the tribes of Israel, and the city where Jehovah put his name. Rehoboam’s mother was an Ammonite woman named Naamah.

¹² »May the God who has made it a resting-place for his name send destruction on all kings and peoples whose hands are outstretched to make any change in this or to do damage to this house of God at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given this order. Let it be done with all care.«

⁹ »If you come back to me and obey my orders, even if you have been forced out and are living in the farthest horizons, I will gather you from there, and bring you to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.’

⁷ They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling-place of your name.

² His tabernacle is in Salem (Jerusalem). His dwelling place also is in Zion.

⁶⁸ but he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion he loved.

⁵ May Jehovah bless you from Zion so that you may see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life.

¹³ Jehovah has chosen Zion. He wants it for his home. ¹⁴ This will be my resting place forever. Here I will sit enthroned because I want Zion.

³ May Jehovah bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth.

¹⁰ »Then come and stand before me in this house. It is called by my name. You say, ‘We are safe to do all these abominations.’ ¹¹ »Has this house, called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,« declares Jehovah. ¹² »But go to my place in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell from the beginning, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel.

¹¹ »Where ever the sun rises and sets my name will be great among the people of the nations. Incense will be offered to my name everywhere. It will be a pure offering! For my name will be great among the nations,« said Jehovah of Hosts.

²⁰ »Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.«

²⁰ »Teach them to observe all the things I have commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.«

²⁰ »Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. But you say Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.« ²¹ Jesus replied: »Woman believe me. The hour comes when you will worship the Father neither in the mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²² »You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know. Salvation is from the Jews. ²³ »But the hour comes and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father with spirit and truth. The Father seeks such people to worship him. ²⁴ »God is a Spirit. They who worship him must worship him with spirit and truth.«

⁸ I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

⁵ »Build an altar there to Jehovah your God. Build the altar of stones. Do not use an iron tool on them. ⁶ »Build the altar of Jehovah your God of uncut stones. Offer on it burnt offerings to Jehovah your God

³¹ As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the Law of Moses, an altar of whole stones that have not been cut by any iron tool. They offered offerings to Jehovah, and sacrificed peace offerings.

³ Moses said to Aaron: »This is what Jehovah was speaking about when he said: ‘All who serve me must respect my holiness. I will reveal my glory to my people.’« But Aaron remained silent.

⁷ He is a God greatly reverenced in the council of the holy ones. He is awesome above all those who are around Him?

¹ Guard your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are not aware that they do evil.

²⁸ Let us be thankful, because we will receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship (serve) (intensely adore) God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe. ²⁹ Our God is a destroying (consuming) fire.

¹⁶ Because it is written: »You shall be holy for I am holy.«