⁴ After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself,^(A) “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness^(B) of these nations^(C) that the Lord is going to drive them out before you.

¹⁷ You may say to yourself,^(A) “My power and the strength of my hands^(B) have produced this wealth for me.”

Occult Practices

⁹ When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate^(A) the detestable ways^(B) of the nations there. ¹⁰ Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,^(C) who practices divination^(D) or sorcery,^(E) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,^{(F) 11} or casts spells,^(G) or who is a medium or spiritist^(H) or who consults the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.^{(I) 13} You must be blameless^(J) before the Lord your God.^(K)

The Prophet

¹⁴ The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.^(L) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.

³¹ You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates.^(A) They even burn their sons^(B) and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.^(C)

⁵ It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity^(A) that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness^(B) of these nations,^(C) the Lord your God will drive them out^(D) before you, to accomplish what he swore^(E) to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.^(F)

⁷ The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous^(A) than other peoples, for you were the fewest^(B) of all peoples.^{(C) 8} But it was because the Lord loved^(D) you and kept the oath he swore^(E) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand^(F) and redeemed^(G) you from the land of slavery,^(H) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

²⁴ “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you^(A) became defiled.^{(B) 25} Even the land was defiled;^(C) so I punished it for its sin,^(D) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.^{(E) 26} But you must keep my decrees and my laws.^(F) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, ²⁷ for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. ²⁸ And if you defile the land,^(G) it will vomit you out^(H) as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

²⁹ “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. ³⁰ Keep my requirements^(I) and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.^(J)’”

³ At one time^(A) we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness^(B) and love of God our Savior^(C) appeared,^{(D) 5} he saved us,^(E) not because of righteous things we had done,^(F) but because of his mercy.^(G) He saved us through the washing^(H) of rebirth and renewal^(I) by the Holy Spirit,

⁹ He has saved^(A) us and called^(B) us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done^(C) but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,