The Ten Commandments^(A)

20 And God spoke^(B) all these words:^(C)

¹⁸ When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet^(AE) and saw the mountain in smoke,^(AF) they trembled with fear.^(AG) They stayed at a distance ¹⁹ and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak^(AH) to us or we will die.”^(AI)

²⁰ Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.^(AJ) God has come to test^(AK) you, so that the fear^(AL) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”^(AM)

²¹ The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness^(AN) where God was.

Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:^{(AO) 23} Do not make any gods to be alongside me;^(AP) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.^(AQ)

²⁴ “‘Make an altar^(AR) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings^(AS) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name^(AT) to be honored, I will come to you and bless^(AU) you. ²⁵ If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool^(AV) on it. ²⁶ And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts^(AW) may be exposed.’

Prosperity After Turning to the Lord

30 When all these blessings and curses^(A) I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations,^{(B) 2} and when you and your children return^(C) to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart^(D) and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, ³ then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes^[a](E) and have compassion^(F) on you and gather^(G) you again from all the nations where he scattered^(H) you.^{(I) 4} Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens,^(J) from there the Lord your God will gather^(K) you and bring you back.^{(L) 5} He will bring^(M) you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous^(N) than your ancestors. ⁶ The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants,^(O) so that you may love^(P) him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. ⁷ The Lord your God will put all these curses^(Q) on your enemies who hate and persecute you.^{(R) 8} You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today. ⁹ Then the Lord your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land.^(S) The Lord will again delight^(T) in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your ancestors, ¹⁰ if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law^(U) and turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.^(V)

The Offer of Life or Death

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.^{(W) 12} It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven^(X) to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(Y) 13} Nor is it beyond the sea,^(Z) so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”^{(AA) 14} No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.^(AB)

¹⁵ See, I set before you today life^(AC) and prosperity,^(AD) death^(AE) and destruction.^{(AF) 16} For I command you today to love^(AG) the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live^(AH) 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.^(AI) 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^(AJ) that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.^(AK) Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love^(AL) the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life,^(AM) and he will give^(AN) you many years in the land^(AO) he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(A)

6 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.^{(B) 2} Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”^(C)

³ Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?^{(D) 4} He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat.^(E) And he also gave some to his companions.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man^(F) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁶ On another Sabbath^(G) he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely^(H) to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.^{(I) 8} But Jesus knew what they were thinking^(J) and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰ He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. ¹¹ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious^(K) and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Twelve Apostles^(L)

¹² One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.^{(M) 13} When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:^{(N) 14} Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew,^(O) Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings and Woes^(P)

¹⁷ He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon,^{(Q) 18} who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, ¹⁹ and the people all tried to touch him,^(R) because power was coming from him and healing them all.^(S)

²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he said:

²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,^(Z) because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.^(AA)

Love for Enemies^(AG)

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,^{(AH) 28} bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.^{(AI) 29} If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.^{(AJ) 31} Do to others as you would have them do to you.^(AK)

³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?^(AL) Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?^(AM) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them,^(AN) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children^(AO) of the Most High,^(AP) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful,^(AQ) just as your Father^(AR) is merciful.

Judging Others^(AS)

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.^(AT) Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.^{(AU) 38} Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.^(AV) For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”^(AW)

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?^{(AX) 40} The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.^(AY)

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit^(AZ)

⁴³ “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.^(BA) People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.^(BB)

The Wise and Foolish Builders^(BC)

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’^(BD) and do not do what I say?^{(BE) 47} As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice,^(BF) I will show you what they are like. ⁴⁸ They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. ⁴⁹ But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

The Covenant Renewed at Shechem

24 Then Joshua assembled^(A) all the tribes of Israel at Shechem.^(B) He summoned^(C) the elders,^(D) leaders, judges and officials of Israel,^(E) and they presented themselves before God.

² Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor,^(F) lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.^{(G) 3} But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan^(H) and gave him many descendants.^(I) I gave him Isaac,^{(J) 4} and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.^(K) I assigned the hill country of Seir^(L) to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.^(M)

⁵ “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron,^(N) and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.^{(O) 6} When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea,^(P) and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen^[a](Q) as far as the Red Sea.^{[b](R) 7} But they cried^(S) to the Lord for help, and he put darkness^(T) between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them.^(U) You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians.^(V) Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.^(W)

⁸ “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites^(X) who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land.^{(Y) 9} When Balak son of Zippor,^(Z) the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor^(AA) to put a curse on you.^{(AB) 10} But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you^(AC) again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

¹¹ “‘Then you crossed the Jordan^(AD) and came to Jericho.^(AE) The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites,^(AF) Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites,^(AG) but I gave them into your hands.^{(AH) 12} I sent the hornet^(AI) ahead of you, which drove them out^(AJ) before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.^{(AK) 13} So I gave you a land^(AL) on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’^(AM)

¹⁴ “Now fear the Lord^(AN) and serve him with all faithfulness.^(AO) Throw away the gods^(AP) your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt,^(AQ) and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites,^(AR) in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household,^(AS) we will serve the Lord.”^(AT)

¹⁶ Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake^(AU) the Lord to serve other gods! ¹⁷ It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery,^(AV) and performed those great signs^(AW) before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. ¹⁸ And the Lord drove out^(AX) before us all the nations,^(AY) including the Amorites, who lived in the land.^(AZ) We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.^(BA)”

¹⁹ Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God;^(BB) he is a jealous God.^(BC) He will not forgive^(BD) your rebellion^(BE) and your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the Lord^(BF) and serve foreign gods, he will turn^(BG) and bring disaster^(BH) on you and make an end of you,^(BI) after he has been good to you.”

²¹ But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

²² Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses^(BJ) against yourselves that you have chosen^(BK) to serve the Lord.”

“Yes, we are witnesses,^(BL)” they replied.

²³ “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods^(BM) that are among you and yield your hearts^(BN) to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

²⁴ And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”^(BO)

²⁵ On that day Joshua made a covenant^(BP) for the people, and there at Shechem^(BQ) he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.^{(BR) 26} And Joshua recorded^(BS) these things in the Book of the Law of God.^(BT) Then he took a large stone^(BU) and set it up there under the oak^(BV) near the holy place of the Lord.

²⁷ “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone^(BW) will be a witness^(BX) against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue^(BY) to your God.”^(BZ)

²⁸ Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.^(CA)

Buried in the Promised Land^(CB)

²⁹ After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died^(CC) at the age of a hundred and ten.^{(CD) 30} And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah^[c](CE) in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.^(CF)

³¹ Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders^(CG) who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

³² And Joseph’s bones,^(CH) which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt,^(CI) were buried at Shechem in the tract of land^(CJ) that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver^[d] from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

³³ And Eleazar son of Aaron^(CK) died and was buried at Gibeah,^(CL) which had been allotted to his son Phinehas^(CM) in the hill country^(CN) of Ephraim.