Deuteronomy 13:12-18

English Standard Version

¹² “If you hear in one of your cities, which the Lord your God is giving you to dwell there, ¹³ that certain ^(A)worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, ¹⁴ then you shall inquire and make search and ask ^(B)diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you, ¹⁵ you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction,^[a] all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword. ¹⁶ You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square and ^(C)burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a ^(D)heap forever. It shall not be built again. ^17 (E)None of the devoted things shall stick to your hand, ^(F)that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger and show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you, ^(G)as he swore to your fathers, ¹⁸ if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, ^(H)keeping all his commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord your God.