Obedience Commanded

4 Now, Israel, hear the decrees^(A) and laws I am about to teach^(B) you. Follow them so that you may live^(C) and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. ² Do not add^(D) to what I command you and do not subtract^(E) from it, but keep^(F) the commands^(G) of the Lord your God that I give you.

³ You saw with your own eyes what the Lord did at Baal Peor.^(H) The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, ⁴ but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.

⁵ See, I have taught^(I) you decrees and laws^(J) as the Lord my God commanded^(K) me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering^(L) to take possession of it. ⁶ Observe^(M) them carefully, for this will show your wisdom^(N) and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”^{(O) 7} What other nation is so great^(P) as to have their gods near^(Q) them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? ⁸ And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws^(R) as this body of laws I am setting before you today?

⁹ Only be careful,^(S) and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach^(T) them to your children^(U) and to their children after them. ¹⁰ Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb,^(V) when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn^(W) to revere^(X) me as long as they live in the land^(Y) and may teach^(Z) them to their children.” ¹¹ You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain^(AA) while it blazed with fire^(AB) to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.^{(AC) 12} Then the Lord spoke^(AD) to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form;^(AE) there was only a voice.^{(AF) 13} He declared to you his covenant,^(AG) the Ten Commandments,^(AH) which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. ¹⁴ And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws^(AI) you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.

³² So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you;^(A) do not turn aside to the right or to the left.^{(B) 33} Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you,^(C) so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days^(D) in the land that you will possess.

Love the Lord Your God

6 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, ² so that you, your children and their children after them may fear^(E) the Lord your God as long as you live^(F) by keeping all his decrees and commands^(G) that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.^{(H) 3} Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey^(I) so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly^(J) in a land flowing with milk and honey,^(K) just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised^(L) you.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a](M) 5} Love^(N) the Lord your God with all your heart^(O) and with all your soul and with all your strength.^{(P) 6} These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.^{(Q) 7} Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.^{(R) 8} Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.^{(S) 9} Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.^(T)

¹⁰ When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,^{(U) 11} houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig,^(V) and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,^{(W) 12} be careful that you do not forget^(X) the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

¹³ Fear the Lord^(Y) your God, serve him only^(Z) and take your oaths^(AA) in his name.^{(AB) 14} Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; ¹⁵ for the Lord your God^(AC), who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. ¹⁶ Do not put the Lord your God to the test^(AD) as you did at Massah. ¹⁷ Be sure to keep^(AE) the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you.^{(AF) 18} Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight,^(AG) so that it may go well^(AH) with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, ¹⁹ thrusting out all your enemies^(AI) before you, as the Lord said.

²⁰ In the future, when your son asks you,^(AJ) “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” ²¹ tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.^{(AK) 22} Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. ²³ But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. ²⁴ The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God,^(AL) so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today.^{(AM) 25} And if we are careful to obey all this law^(AN) before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.^(AO)”