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Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Contemporary English Version
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Contemporary English Version
Choose Life, Not Death
Moses said to Israel:
11 You know God's laws, and it isn't impossible to obey them. 12 (A) His commands aren't in heaven, so you can't excuse yourselves by saying, “How can we obey the Lord's commands? They are in heaven, and no one can go up to get them, then bring them down and explain them to us.” 13 And you can't say, “How can we obey the Lord's commands? They are across the sea, and someone must go across, then bring them back and explain them to us.” 14 No, these commands are nearby and you know them by heart. All you have to do is obey!
15 (B) Today I am giving you a choice. You can choose life and success or death and disaster. 16-18 I am commanding you to be loyal to the Lord, to live the way he has told you, and to obey his laws and teachings. You are about to cross the Jordan River and take the land that he is giving you. If you obey him, you will live and become successful and powerful.
On the other hand, you might choose to disobey the Lord and reject him. So I'm warning you that if you bow down and worship other gods, you won't have long to live.
19 Now I call the sky and the earth to be witnesses that I am offering you this choice. Will you choose for the Lord to make you prosperous and give you a long life? Or will he put you under a curse and kill you? Choose life! 20 (C) Be completely faithful to the Lord your God, love him, and do whatever he tells you. The Lord is the only one who can give life, and he will let you live a long time in the land that he promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
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Deuteronomy 30:11-20
New International Version
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
New International Version
The Offer of Life or Death
11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.(A) 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven(B) to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”(C) 13 Nor is it beyond the sea,(D) so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”(E) 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.(F)
15 See, I set before you today life(G) and prosperity,(H) death(I) and destruction.(J) 16 For I command you today to love(K) the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live(L) and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.(M) You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you(N) that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.(O) Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love(P) the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life,(Q) and he will give(R) you many years in the land(S) he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
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