EXODUS – Chapter 20
The Ten Commandments.
1Then God spoke all these words:
2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3You shall not have other gods beside me.
4You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;
5you shall not bow down before them or serve them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their ancestors’ wickedness on the children of those who hate me, down to the third and fourth generation;
6but showing love down to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7You shall not invoke the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished anyone who invokes his name in vain.
8Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy.
9Six days you may labor and do all your work,
10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God. You shall not do any work, either you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your work animal, or the resident alien within your gates.
11For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
12 Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
14You shall not commit adultery.
16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Moses Accepted as Mediator.
18Now as all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the blast of the shofar and the mountain smoking, they became afraid and trembled. So they took up a position farther away
19and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die.”
20Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid, for God has come only to test you and put the fear of him upon you so you do not sin.”
21So the people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.
The Covenant Code.
22 The LORD said to Moses: This is what you will say to the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven.
23You shall not make alongside of me gods of silver, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.
24An altar of earth make for me, and sacrifice upon it your burnt offerings and communion sacrifices, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be invoked I will come to you and bless you.
25But if you make an altar of stone for me, do not build it of cut stone, for by putting a chisel to it you profane it.
26You shall not ascend to my altar by steps, lest your nakedness be exposed.
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