“You shall have no other gods before[a] me.(A)

“You shall not make for yourself an image(B) in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship(C) them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,(D) punishing the children for the sin of the parents(E) to the third and fourth generation(F) of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand(G) generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 20:3 Or besides

(A)“You shall have no other gods before Me.

(B)“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; (C)you shall not bow down to them nor [a]serve them. (D)For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, (E)visiting[b] the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but (F)showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 20:5 worship
  2. Exodus 20:5 punishing

“You shall have no other gods before Me.

“You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship]. You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God [[a]demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on the children [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers], to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,(A) but showing graciousness and steadfast lovingkindness to thousands [of generations] of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 20:5 God does not tolerate the transfer of the honor and worship that is due Him to any other being or object.

No other gods, only me.

4-6 No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, whether of things that fly or walk or swim. Don’t bow down to them and don’t serve them because I am God, your God, and I’m a most jealous God, punishing the children for any sins their parents pass on to them to the third, and yes, even to the fourth generation of those who hate me. But I’m unswervingly loyal to the thousands who love me and keep my commandments.

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