Deuteronomy 13
Legacy Standard Bible
Stone Those Who Prophesy Against Yahweh
13 “[a](A)If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘(B)Let us walk after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for Yahweh your God is (C)testing you to find out if (D)you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 (E)You shall walk after Yahweh your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and (F)cling to Him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be (G)put to death because he has [b]counseled [c]rebellion against Yahweh your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of [d]slavery, (H)to drive you from the way in which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk. (I)So you shall purge the evil from among you.
6 “(J)If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife [e]you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entices you secretly, saying, ‘(K)Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, 7 of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end), 8 (L)you shall not be willing to accept him or listen to him; (M)and your eye shall not pity him; and you shall not spare him or conceal him. 9 (N)But you shall surely kill him; (O)your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. 10 So you shall stone him [f]to death because he has sought (P)to drive you from Yahweh your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of [g]slavery. 11 Thus (Q)all Israel will hear and be afraid and will never again do such an evil thing among you.
12 “If you hear in one of your cities, which Yahweh your God is giving you to live in, anyone saying that 13 some vile men have gone out from among you and have driven the inhabitants of their city astray, saying, ‘(R)Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known), 14 then you shall inquire and search out and ask thoroughly. Behold, if it is true and the matter is confirmed, that this abomination has been done among you, 15 (S)you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, [h]devoting it to destruction and all that is in it and its cattle with the edge of the sword. 16 (T)Then you shall gather all its spoil into the middle of its open square and burn the city and all its spoil with fire as a whole burnt offering to Yahweh your God; and it shall be a [i](U)ruin forever. It shall never be rebuilt. 17 Now nothing from that which is devoted to destruction shall cling to your hand, in order that Yahweh may turn from (V)His burning anger and (W)grant compassion to you and show compassion to you and (X)make you multiply, just (Y)as He has sworn to your fathers, 18 [j]if you will listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, [k]keeping all His commandments which I am commanding you today, [l]and doing what is right in the sight of Yahweh your God.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 13:1 Ch 13:2 in Heb
- Deuteronomy 13:5 Lit spoken
- Deuteronomy 13:5 Lit turning aside
- Deuteronomy 13:5 Lit slaves
- Deuteronomy 13:6 Lit of your bosom
- Deuteronomy 13:10 Lit with stones so that he dies
- Deuteronomy 13:10 Lit slaves
- Deuteronomy 13:15 Or putting it under the ban
- Deuteronomy 13:16 Lit mound
- Deuteronomy 13:18 Or for
- Deuteronomy 13:18 Lit to keep
- Deuteronomy 13:18 Lit to do
Deuteronomy 13
New Living Translation
A Warning against Idolatry
13 [a]“Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, 2 and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before— 3 do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul. 4 Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. 5 The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the Lord your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the Lord your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.
6 “Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known. 7 They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth. 8 But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them. 9 You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in. 10 Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery. 11 Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one will act so wickedly again.
12 “When you begin living in the towns the Lord your God is giving you, you may hear 13 that scoundrels among you are leading their fellow citizens astray by saying, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods you have not known before. 14 In such cases, you must examine the facts carefully. If you find that the report is true and such a detestable act has been committed among you, 15 you must attack that town and completely destroy[b] all its inhabitants, as well as all the livestock. 16 Then you must pile all the plunder in the middle of the open square and burn it. Burn the entire town as a burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town must remain a ruin forever; it may never be rebuilt. 17 Keep none of the plunder that has been set apart for destruction. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger and be merciful to you. He will have compassion on you and make you a large nation, just as he swore to your ancestors.
18 “The Lord your God will be merciful only if you listen to his voice and keep all his commands that I am giving you today, doing what pleases him.
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