¹⁸ “And I said to ^(A)their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk ^(B)in the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, ^(C)nor defile yourselves with their idols.

¹⁸ knowing that you ^(A)were ransomed from ^(B)the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,

^2 (A)“The Lord was very angry with your fathers. ³ Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: ^(B)Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and ^(C)I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. ^4 (D)Do not be like your fathers, ^(E)to whom the former prophets cried out, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, ^(F)Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But ^(G)they did not hear or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.

⁷ And I said to them, ^(A)‘Cast away the detestable things ^(B)your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with ^(C)the idols of Egypt; ^(D)I am the Lord your God.’

³ Your eyes have seen what the Lord did ^(A)at Baal-peor, for the Lord your God destroyed from among you all the men who followed the Baal of Peor. ⁴ But you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today. ⁵ See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. ^6 (B)Keep them and do them, for ^(C)that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’