Deuteronomy 6
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Great Commandment
6 Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the Lord your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, 2 so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.[a] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7 Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem[b] on your forehead, 9 and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Caution against Disobedience
10 When the Lord your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, 11 houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you have eaten your fill, 12 take care that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 13 The Lord your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear. 14 Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you, 15 because the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a jealous God. The anger of the Lord your God would be kindled against you and he would destroy you from the face of the earth.
16 Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. 17 You must diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his decrees, and his statutes that he has commanded you. 18 Do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may go in and occupy the good land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give you, 19 thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has promised.
20 When your children ask you in time to come, “What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you?” 21 then you shall say to your children, “We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 The Lord displayed before our eyes great and awesome signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household. 23 He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land that he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 Then the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. 25 If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, we will be in the right.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 6:4 Or The Lord our God is one Lord, or The Lord our God, the Lord is one, or The Lord is our God, the Lord is one
- Deuteronomy 6:8 Or as a frontlet
Deuteronomy 6
Good News Translation
The Great Commandment
6 “These are all the laws that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. Obey them in the land that you are about to enter and occupy. 2 As long as you live, you and your descendants are to honor the Lord your God and obey all his laws that I am giving you, so that you may live in that land a long time. 3 Listen to them, people of Israel, and obey them! Then all will go well with you, and you will become a mighty nation and live in that rich and fertile land, just as the Lord, the God of our ancestors, has promised.
4 (A)“Israel, remember this! The Lord—and the Lord alone—is our God.[a] 5 (B)Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 (C)Never forget these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. 8 Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.
Warning against Disobedience
10 (D)“Just as the Lord your God promised your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he will give you a land with large and prosperous cities which you did not build. 11 The houses will be full of good things which you did not put in them, and there will be wells that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant. When the Lord brings you into this land and you have all you want to eat, 12 make certain that you do not forget the Lord who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves. 13 (E)Honor the Lord your God, worship only him, and make your promises in his name alone. 14 Do not worship other gods, any of the gods of the peoples around you. 15 If you do worship other gods, the Lord's anger will come against you like fire and will destroy you completely, because the Lord your God, who is present with you, tolerates no rivals.
16 (F)“Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you did at Massah. 17 Be sure that you obey all the laws that he has given you. 18 Do what the Lord says is right and good, and all will go well with you. You will be able to take possession of the fertile land that the Lord promised your ancestors, 19 and you will drive out your enemies, as he promised.
20 “In times to come your children will ask you, ‘Why did the Lord our God command us to obey all these laws?’ 21 Then tell them, ‘We were slaves of the king of Egypt, and the Lord rescued us by his great power. 22 With our own eyes we saw him work miracles and do terrifying things to the Egyptians and to their king and to all his officials. 23 He freed us from Egypt to bring us here and give us this land, as he had promised our ancestors he would. 24 Then the Lord our God commanded us to obey all these laws and to honor him. If we do, he will always watch over our nation and keep it prosperous. 25 If we faithfully obey everything that God has commanded us, he will be pleased with us.’[b]
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 6:4 The Lord … is our God; or The Lord, our God, is the only God; or The Lord our God is one.
- Deuteronomy 6:25 If we faithfully … with us; or The right thing for us to do is to obey faithfully everything that God has commanded us.
Deuteronomy 6
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 6
1 These are the commands, statutes, and decrees that the Lord, your God, directed me to teach you so that you might observe them in the land to which you are going as your inheritance. 2 Thus, you will fear the Lord, your God, and observe the statutes and commandments that I give you—you, and your children, and your children’s children—all the days of your life, so that you might live a long time.
3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that you might prosper and multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you.
The Law of Love.[a] 4 Hear, O Israel, the Lord, our God, is Lord alone. 5 You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6 You shall keep these things that I command you today in your heart. 7 Teach them to your children. You shall talk of them when you are sitting in your home, and when you are walking along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 [b]Bind them as a reminder upon your hand, and wear them as a pendant between your eyes 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates.
Loyalty to the Lord.10 [c]When the Lord, your God, will have brought you into the land that he promised to your forefathers, to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, that he would give to you, a land with large and pleasant cities that you did not build 11 with houses filled with all kinds of good things that you did not provide, wells that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill of them, 12 be sure not to forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the land of slavery.
13 Fear the Lord, your God, and serve him. Swear oaths with his name. 14 You shall not seek after other gods, the gods of the peoples around you 15 for the Lord, your God, who lives among you is a jealous God.[d] Beware lest the anger of the Lord, your God, be kindled and he wipe you off of the face of the earth.
16 You shall not tempt the Lord,[e] your God, as you tempted him at Massah. 17 You shall take heed to observe the commandments of the Lord, your God, and the decrees and statutes that he has given to you. 18 Do what the Lord regards as right and good so that things will go well with you and that you might enter in and take possession of the good land that the Lord promised to your fathers, 19 being able to cast out all of your enemies from before you, just as the Lord has promised.
20 Instructing Children. In the future when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the decrees and statutes and ordinances that the Lord, our God, has commanded of you,” 21 you are to tell your son, “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 The Lord performed signs and wonders in our sight, great and terrible things, that he imposed upon Egypt and upon Pharaoh and upon all of his household. 23 He brought us out from there so that he might bring us into and give to us the land that he promised to our fathers.
24 “The Lord commanded us to observe all of these statutes and to fear the Lord, our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, even as we are today. 25 If we are diligent in observing all of these commandments before the Lord, our God, as he commanded of us, then this will be our righteousness.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 6:4 A classic passage that to this very day has been the prayer of Jews (the Shema) and their creed. It is a profession of faith in only one God, a faith that lays claim to the whole of the human person. Jesus will say: “The first is. . . . There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mk 12:28-31 and parallels).
- Deuteronomy 6:8 These verses, like the preceding, are meant metaphorically (see Ex 13:9, 16); they were later interpreted literally. Verses 4-9 were written on parchment, placed in a wooden or metal box, and attached to the forehead and the back of the hands (phylacteries: see Mt 23:5). They were also attached to the doorposts at a man’s height.
- Deuteronomy 6:10 We can see, from the end of this passage, the profound meaning of “righteousness” in the Bible: it is a religious uprightness that takes the form of doing God’s will in one’s life.
- Deuteronomy 6:15 Jealous God: a God who loves with a total and exclusive love. See Deut 4:24; 5:9.
- Deuteronomy 6:16 To tempt the Lord or “test him” means to not trust in him (Ex 17:1-7; Num 14:22; Pss 78:41; 95:9; 106:13-14).
Deuteronomy 6
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
6 These are the precepts, and ceremonies, and judgments, which the Lord your God commanded that I should teach you, and that you should do them in the land into which you pass over to possess it:
2 That thou mayst fear the Lord thy God, and keep all his commandments and precepts, which I command thee, and thy sons, and thy grandsons, all the days of thy life, that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear, O Israel, and observe to do the things which the Lord hath commanded thee, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayst be greatly multiplied, as the Lord the God of thy fathers hath promised thee a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.
5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength.
6 And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart:
7 And thou shalt tell them to thy children, and thou shalt meditate upon them sitting in thy house, and walking on thy journey, sleeping and rising.
8 And thou shalt bind them as a sign on thy hand, and they shall be and shall move between thy eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them in the entry, and on the doors of thy house.
10 And when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land, for which he swore to thy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and shall have given thee great and goodly cities, which thou didst not build,
11 Houses full of riches, which thou didst not set up, cisterns which thou didst not dig, vineyards and oliveyards, which thou didst not plant,
12 And thou shalt have eaten and be full:
13 Take heed diligently lest thou forget the Lord, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and shalt serve him only, and thou shalt swear by his name.
14 You shall not go after the strange gods of all the nations, that are round about you:
15 Because the Lord thy God is a jealous God in the midst of thee: lest at any time the wrath of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and take thee away from the face of the earth.
16 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God, as thou temptedst him in the place of temptation.
17 Keep the precepts of the Lord thy God, and the testimonies and ceremonies which he hath commanded thee.
18 And do that which is pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with thee: and going in thou mayst possess the goodly land, concerning which the Lord swore to thy fathers,
19 That he would destroy all thy enemies before thee, as he hath spoken.
20 And when thy son shall ask thee to morrow, saying: What mean these testimonies, and ceremonies and judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded us?
21 Thou shalt say to him: We were bondmen of Pharao in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand.
22 And he wrought signs and wonders great and very grievous in Egypt against Pharao, and all his house, in our sight,
23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in and give us the land, concerning which he swore to our fathers.
24 And the Lord commanded that we should do all these ordinances, and should fear the Lord our God, that it might be well with us all the days of our life, as it is at this day.
25 And he will be merciful to us, if we keep and do all his precepts before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.
Deuteronomy 6
New American Standard Bible 1995
Obey God and Prosper
6 “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, 2 so that you and your son and your grandson might (A)fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, (B)all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 O Israel, you should listen and [a]be careful to do it, that (C)it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in (D)a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 “(E)Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the (F)Lord is one! 5 (G)You shall love the Lord your God (H)with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 (I)These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 (J)You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 (K)You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as [b]frontals [c]on your forehead. 9 (L)You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
10 “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, (M)great and splendid cities which you did not build, 11 and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and (N)you eat and are satisfied, 12 then watch yourself, that (O)you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of [d]slavery. 13 (P)You shall [e]fear only the Lord your God; and you shall [f]worship Him and (Q)swear by His name. 14 (R)You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, 15 for the Lord your God in the midst of you is a (S)jealous God; otherwise the anger of the Lord your God will be kindled against you, and He will [g]wipe you off the face of the earth.
16 “(T)You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, (U)as you tested Him at Massah. 17 (V)You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you. 18 You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that (W)it may be well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which the Lord swore to give your fathers, 19 by driving out all your enemies from before you, as the Lord has spoken.
20 “(X)When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the Lord our God commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Moreover, the Lord showed great and distressing signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household; 23 He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.’ 24 So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, (Y)to fear the Lord our God for our good always and (Z)for our survival, as it is today. 25 (AA)It will be righteousness for us if we [h]are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us.
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 6:3 Lit keep
- Deuteronomy 6:8 Or frontlet bands
- Deuteronomy 6:8 Lit between your eyes
- Deuteronomy 6:12 Lit slaves
- Deuteronomy 6:13 Or reverence
- Deuteronomy 6:13 Or serve
- Deuteronomy 6:15 Lit destroy
- Deuteronomy 6:25 Lit keep
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
