¹² If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in ¹³ that troublemakers^(A) have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), ¹⁴ then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly.^(B) And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you,^{(C) 15} you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely,^[a](D) both its people and its livestock.^(E)

¹⁸ Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns^(A) away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.^(B)