Deuteronomy Chapter 5

The Ten Commandments

¹ Then Moses called Israel together,

“Listen to these statutes and ordinances so you can learn them and observe them carefully. ² The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb/Sinai. ³ He didn’t make that covenant with our ancestors, but with us. ⁴ Out of the fire he spoke to you directly at the mountain ⁵ while I stood between him and you. I stood there to tell you what he said, because you were afraid of the fire and didn’t go up the mountain. He said,

⁶ ‘I am the LORD your God that brought you out of slavery in Egypt.

⁷ ‘Do not have^f any god but me.

⁸ ‘Do not make^f a carved image, any likeness of what is in the sky, on the ground, or in the water lower than the ground ⁹ to worship^f or serve^f, because I am an exclusive God. I visit the consequences of parents’ sins on their descendants for three or four generations that hate me. ¹⁰ I am kind to thousands who love me and obey me.

¹¹ ‘Do not use^f my name ‘the LORD’ your God as a byword. I will punish whoever does that.

¹² ‘Observe the Sabbath. Set it apart like I’ve commanded. ¹³ Work^f six days, ¹⁴ but the seventh day rest to me your God. Do not work^f that day—you, your son or daughter, male or female servant, ox, donkey, cattle, foreigner among you. ¹⁵ Remember^f that you were slaves in Egypt, and I brought you out with a strong hand and outstretched arm. That is why I have commanded you to observe the Sabbath.

¹⁶ ‘Honor your parents so you can live a long time and things will go well for you in the land I your God am giving you.

¹⁷ ‘Do not commit murder^f.

¹⁸ ‘Do not commit^f adultery.

¹⁹ ‘Do not steal^f.

²⁰ ‘Do not lie^f about other people.

²¹ ‘Do not covet^f someone else’s wife, his house, field, male servant, ox, donkey, or anything else.’

Deut 5:1-21

²² “With a loud voice the LORD said that to your whole assembly at the mountain out of the fire, cloud, and dense darkness. He didn’t add anything else. He wrote it on two stone tablets and gave them to me. ²³ You heard him speak out of the blackness while the mountain was burning. The leaders and elders in your tribes came to me, ²⁴ ‘The LORD our God has shown us how great and glorious he is. We’ve heard him speak out of the fire. We’ve seen him speak to people, but they still live. ²⁵ But why should we die? This great fire will burn us up. If we hear him speak anymore, it’ll kill us. ²⁶ Who ever heard the living God speak out of fire like we have, and lived? ²⁷ You approach him and hear what he says. Then tell us, and we’ll do it.’

²⁸ “The LORD told me, ‘I’ve heard what they said. They’ve done well in saying it. ²⁹ Oh that they had a heart to respect me and keep my commandments so it would be well with them and their descendants forever! ³⁰ Tell them to go back home. ³¹ But you stand here with me so I can tell you the commandments, statutes, and case laws you’re to teach them.’ ³² Do exactly what he says. Don’t stray away from it. ³³ That way you’ll live, things will go well for you, and you’ll occupy the land a long time.    

Deut 5:22-33