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Luke 6:12-49
New English Translation

Choosing the Twelve Apostles

12 Now[a] it was during this time that Jesus[b] went out to the mountain[c] to pray, and he spent all night[d] in prayer to God.[e] 13 When[f] morning came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:[g] 14 Simon[h] (whom he named Peter), and his brother Andrew; and James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,[i] 15 Matthew, Thomas,[j] James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,[k] 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot,[l] who became a traitor.

The Sermon on the Plain

17 Then[m] he came down with them and stood on a level place.[n] And a large number[o] of his disciples had gathered[p] along with[q] a vast multitude from all over Judea, from[r] Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon.[s] They came to hear him and to be healed[t] of their diseases, 18 and those who suffered from[u] unclean[v] spirits were cured. 19 The[w] whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power[x] was coming out from him and healing them all.

20 Then[y] he looked up[z] at his disciples and said:

“Blessed[aa] are you who are poor,[ab] for the kingdom of God belongs[ac] to you.
21 “Blessed are you who hunger[ad] now, for you will be satisfied.[ae]
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.[af]
22 “Blessed are you when people[ag] hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil[ah] on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because[ai] your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors[aj] did the same things to the prophets.[ak]
24 “But woe[al] to you who are rich, for you have received[am] your comfort[an] already.
25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food[ao] now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you[ap] who laugh[aq] now, for you will mourn and weep.
26 “Woe to you[ar] when all people[as] speak well of you, for their ancestors[at] did the same things to the false prophets.

27 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies,[au] do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat[av] you. 29 To the person who strikes you on the cheek,[aw] offer the other as well,[ax] and from the person who takes away your coat,[ay] do not withhold your tunic[az] either.[ba] 30 Give to everyone who asks you,[bb] and do not ask for your possessions[bc] back[bd] from the person who takes them away. 31 Treat others[be] in the same way that you would want them to treat you.[bf]

32 “If[bg] you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners[bh] love those who love them.[bi] 33 And[bj] if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even[bk] sinners[bl] do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid,[bm] what credit is that to you? Even sinners[bn] lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full.[bo] 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back.[bp] Then[bq] your reward will be great, and you will be sons[br] of the Most High,[bs] because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.[bt] 36 Be merciful,[bu] just as your Father is merciful.

Do Not Judge Others

37 “Do[bv] not judge,[bw] and you will not be judged;[bx] do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive,[by] and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over,[bz] will be poured[ca] into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”[cb]

39 He also told them a parable: “Someone who is blind cannot lead another who is blind, can he?[cc] Won’t they both fall[cd] into a pit? 40 A disciple[ce] is not greater than[cf] his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why[cg] do you see the speck[ch] in your brother’s eye, but fail to see[ci] the beam of wood[cj] in your own? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while you yourself don’t see the beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

43 “For[ck] no good tree bears bad[cl] fruit, nor again[cm] does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known[cn] by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered[co] from thorns, nor are grapes picked[cp] from brambles.[cq] 45 The good person out of the good treasury of his[cr] heart[cs] produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury[ct] produces evil, for his mouth speaks[cu] from what fills[cv] his heart.

46 “Why[cw] do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’[cx] and don’t do what I tell you?[cy]

47 “Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice[cz]—I will show you what he is like: 48 He is like a man[da] building a house, who dug down deep,[db] and laid the foundation on bedrock. When[dc] a flood came, the river[dd] burst against that house but[de] could not shake it, because it had been well built.[df] 49 But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice[dg] is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When[dh] the river burst against that house,[di] it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!”[dj]

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 6:12 tn Grk “Now it happened that in.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  2. Luke 6:12 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Luke 6:12 tn Or “to a mountain” (εἰς τὸ ὅρος, eis to horos).sn The expression to the mountain here may be idiomatic or generic, much like the English “he went to the hospital” (cf. 15:29), or even intentionally reminiscent of Exod 24:12 (LXX), since the genre of the Sermon on the Mount seems to be that of a new Moses giving a new law.
  4. Luke 6:12 sn This is the only time all night prayer is mentioned in the NT.
  5. Luke 6:12 tn This is an objective genitive, so prayer “to God.”
  6. Luke 6:13 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  7. Luke 6:13 sn The term apostles is rare in the gospels, found only in Matt 10:2, possibly in Mark 3:14, and six more times in Luke (here plus 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10).
  8. Luke 6:14 sn In the various lists of the twelve, Simon (that is, Peter) is always mentioned first (Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:16-19; Acts 1:13) and the first four are always the same, though not in the same order after Peter.
  9. Luke 6:14 sn Bartholomew (meaning “son of Tolmai” in Aramaic) could be another name for Nathanael mentioned in John 1:45.
  10. Luke 6:15 sn This is the “doubting Thomas” of John 20:24-29.
  11. Luke 6:15 sn The designation Zealot means that Simon was a political nationalist before coming to follow Jesus. He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the descriptive term applied to Simon means something like “Simon the patriot” (see L&N 25.77 and especially 11.88).
  12. Luke 6:16 sn There is some debate about what the name Iscariot means. It probably alludes to a region in Judea and thus might make Judas the only non-Galilean in the group. Several explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). For further discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 1:546; also D. A. Carson, John, 304.
  13. Luke 6:17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  14. Luke 6:17 tn Or “on a plateau.” This could refer to a message given in a flat locale or in a flat locale in the midst of a more mountainous region (Jer 21:13; Isa 13:2). It is quite possible that this sermon is a summary version of the better known Sermon on the Mount from Matt 5-7.
  15. Luke 6:17 tn Grk “large crowd.”
  16. Luke 6:17 tn There is no verb in Greek at this point, but since “a large crowd” (see preceding tn) is in the nominative case, one needs to be supplied.
  17. Luke 6:17 tn Grk “and.”
  18. Luke 6:17 tn Grk “and from,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
  19. Luke 6:17 sn These last two locations, Tyre and Sidon, represented an expansion outside of traditional Jewish territory. Jesus’ reputation continued to expand into new regions.
  20. Luke 6:17 sn To hear him and to be healed. Jesus had a two-level ministry: The word and then wondrous acts of service that showed his message of God’s care were real.
  21. Luke 6:18 tn Or “were oppressed by,” “were troubled with.” See L&N 22.17.
  22. Luke 6:18 sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits. See Luke 4:33.
  23. Luke 6:19 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  24. Luke 6:19 sn There was a recognition that there was great power at work through Jesus, the subject of a great debate in 11:14-23. Luke highlights Jesus’ healing ministry (5:17; 6:18; 7:7; 8:47; 9:11, 42; 14:4; 17:15; 18:42-43; 22:51; Acts 10:38).
  25. Luke 6:20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  26. Luke 6:20 tn Grk “lifting up his eyes” (an idiom). The participle ἐπάρας (eparas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
  27. Luke 6:20 sn The term Blessed introduces the first of several beatitudes promising blessing to those whom God cares for. They serve as an invitation to come into the grace God offers.
  28. Luke 6:20 sn You who are poor is a reference to the “pious poor” for whom God especially cares. See Pss 14:6; 22:24; 25:16; 34:6; 40:17; 69:29.
  29. Luke 6:20 sn The present tense (belongs) here is significant. Jesus makes the kingdom and its blessings currently available. This phrase is unlike the others in the list with the possessive pronoun being emphasized. Jesus was saying, in effect, “the kingdom belongs even now to people like you.”
  30. Luke 6:21 sn You who hunger are people like the poor Jesus has already mentioned. The term has OT roots both in conjunction with the poor (Isa 32:6-7; 58:6-7, 9-10; Ezek 18:7, 16) or by itself (Pss 37:16-19; 107:9).
  31. Luke 6:21 sn The promise you will be satisfied is the first of several “reversals” noted in these promises. The beatitudes and the reversals that accompany them serve in the sermon as an invitation to enter into God’s care, because one can know God cares for those who turn to him.
  32. Luke 6:21 sn You will laugh alludes to the joy that comes to God’s people in the salvation to come.
  33. Luke 6:22 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), referring to both males and females.
  34. Luke 6:22 tn Or “disdain you”; Grk “cast out your name as evil.” The word “name” is used here as a figure of speech to refer to the person as a whole.sn The phrase when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil alludes to a person being ostracized and socially isolated because of association with the Son of Man, Jesus.
  35. Luke 6:23 tn Grk “because behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this clause has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
  36. Luke 6:23 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
  37. Luke 6:23 sn Mistreatment of the prophets is something Luke often notes (Luke 11:47-51; Acts 7:51-52).
  38. Luke 6:24 sn Jesus promises condemnation (woe) to those who are callous of others, looking only to their own comforts. On Luke and the rich see 1:53; 12:16; 14:12; 16:1, 21-22; 18:23; 19:2; 21:1. These woes are unique to Luke.
  39. Luke 6:24 sn Ironically the language of reward shows that what the rich have received is all they will get. This result looks at a current situation, just as the start of the beatitudes did. The rest of the conclusions to the woes look to the future at the time of judgment.
  40. Luke 6:24 tn Grk “your consolation.”
  41. Luke 6:25 tn Grk “who are filled.” See L&N 23.18 for the translation “well satisfied with food.”
  42. Luke 6:25 tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, humin) is lacking in several witnesses (א B K L T W Θ Ξ 0147 ƒ1,13 579 700 892 1241 2542 al), though found in most (P75 A D Q Ψ 33 M lat co). The longer reading looks to be a clarifying addition; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.
  43. Luke 6:25 sn That is, laugh with happiness and joy.
  44. Luke 6:26 tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, humin) is lacking throughout the ms tradition except for a few witnesses (D W* Δ 1424 co). The Western witnesses tend to add freely to the text. Supported by the vast majority of witnesses and the likelihood that “to you” is a clarifying addition, the shorter reading should be considered autographic; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.
  45. Luke 6:26 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), referring to both males and females.
  46. Luke 6:26 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
  47. Luke 6:27 sn Love your enemies is the first of four short exhortations that call for an unusual response to those who are persecuting disciples. Disciples are to relate to hostility in a completely unprecedented manner.
  48. Luke 6:28 tn The substantival participle ἐπηρεαζόντων (epēreazontōn), sometimes translated “those who abuse” (NRSV), is better rendered “those who mistreat,” a more general term (see L&N 88.129).
  49. Luke 6:29 sn The phrase strikes you on the cheek probably pictures public rejection, like the act that indicated expulsion from the synagogue.
  50. Luke 6:29 sn This command to offer the other cheek as well is often misunderstood. It means that there is risk involved in reaching out to people with God’s hope. But if one is struck down in rejection, the disciple is to continue reaching out.
  51. Luke 6:29 tn Or “cloak.”
  52. Luke 6:29 tn See the note on the word “tunics” in 3:11.
  53. Luke 6:29 sn The command do not withhold your tunic either is again an image of continually being totally at risk as one tries to keep contact with those who are hostile to what Jesus and his disciples offer.
  54. Luke 6:30 sn Jesus advocates a generosity and a desire to meet those in dire need with the command give to everyone who asks you. This may allude to begging; giving alms was viewed highly in the ancient world (Matt 6:1-4; Deut 15:7-11).
  55. Luke 6:30 tn Grk “your things,” sometimes translated “what is yours” or “what belongs to you.”
  56. Luke 6:30 sn Do not ask for your possessions back… is an example of showing forgiveness. Paul’s remarks in 1 Cor 6:7 may reflect this principle.
  57. Luke 6:31 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), referring to both males and females.
  58. Luke 6:31 sn Jesus’ teaching as reflected in the phrase treat others in the same way you would want them to treat you, known generally as the Golden Rule, is not completely unique in the ancient world, but it is stated here in its most emphatic, selfless form. It is stated negatively in Tobit 4:15, and can also be found in the Talmud in a story about the great rabbi Hillel, who is said to have told a Gentile who asked to be taught the Torah, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor; that is the whole Torah, while the rest is the commentary thereof; go and learn it” (b. Shabbat 31a).
  59. Luke 6:32 tn Grk “And if.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. This is a first class condition, but the next two conditional clauses are third class conditions, so that stylistic variation is probably at work.
  60. Luke 6:32 sn Here the term sinners may refer to people who had no concern for observing the details of the Mosaic law; these were often treated as social outcasts. See L&N 88.295.
  61. Luke 6:32 sn Jesus’ point in the statement even sinners love those who love them is that disciples are to go further than sinners do. The examples replay vv. 29-30.
  62. Luke 6:33 tc ‡ Three key mss (P75 א* B) have “for” here, but it is unlikely that it was present originally. The addition of conjunctions, especially to the beginning of a clause, are typically suspect because they fit the pattern of Koine tendencies toward greater explicitness. NA28 has the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
  63. Luke 6:33 tc Most mss (A D L Θ Ξ Ψ ƒ13 33 M lat) include γάρ (gar, “for”) following καί (kai, here translated “even”), but a few significant mss (א B W 700 892* 1241) lack the conjunction. The inclusion of the conjunction seems to be motivated by clarity and should probably be considered inauthentic.
  64. Luke 6:33 sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.
  65. Luke 6:34 tn Grk “to receive,” but in context the repayment of the amount lent is implied. Jesus was noting that utilitarian motives are the way of the world.
  66. Luke 6:34 sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.
  67. Luke 6:34 tn Grk “to receive as much again.”
  68. Luke 6:35 tn Or “in return.”
  69. Luke 6:35 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
  70. Luke 6:35 sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.
  71. Luke 6:35 sn That is, “sons of God.”
  72. Luke 6:35 tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
  73. Luke 6:36 sn Merciful is a characteristic of God often noted in the OT: Exod 34:6; Deut 4:31; Joel 2:31; Jonah 4:2; 2 Sam 24:14. This remark also echoes the more common OT statements like Lev 19:2 or Deut 18:13: “you must be holy as I am holy.”
  74. Luke 6:37 tn Grk “And do.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  75. Luke 6:37 sn As the Gospel makes clear, with the statement do not judge Jesus had in mind making a judgment that caused one to cut oneself off from someone so that they ceased to be reached out to (5:27-32; 15:1-32). Jesus himself did make judgments about where people stand (11:37-54), but not in such a way that he ceased to continue to offer them God’s grace.
  76. Luke 6:37 sn The point of the statement do not judge, and you will not be judged is that the standards one applies to others God applies back. The passive verbs in this verse look to God’s action.
  77. Luke 6:37 sn On forgive see Luke 11:4; 1 Pet 3:7.
  78. Luke 6:38 sn The background to the image pressed down, shaken together, running over is pouring out grain for measure in the marketplace. One often poured the grain into a container, shook it to level out the grain and then poured in some more. Those who are generous have generosity running over for them.
  79. Luke 6:38 tn Grk “they will give”; that is, “pour.” The third person plural has been replaced by the passive in the translation.
  80. Luke 6:38 tn Grk “by the measure with which you measure it will be measured back to you.”
  81. Luke 6:39 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mē) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here it is “can he?”).
  82. Luke 6:39 sn The picture of a blind man leading a blind man is a warning to watch who one follows: Won’t they both fall into a pit? The sermon has been about religious choices and reacting graciously to those who oppose the followers of Jesus. Here Jesus’ point was to be careful who you follow and where they are taking you.
  83. Luke 6:40 tn Or “student.”
  84. Luke 6:40 tn Or “significantly different.” The idea, as the next phrase shows, is that teachers build followers who go the same direction they do.
  85. Luke 6:41 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  86. Luke 6:41 sn A speck (also twice in v. 42) refers to a small piece of wood, chaff, or straw (L&N 3.66); KJV, ASV “mote”; NAB “splinter.”
  87. Luke 6:41 tn Or “do not notice.”
  88. Luke 6:41 sn The beam of wood (also twice in v. 42) refers to a big piece of wood, the main beam of a building, in contrast to the speck in the other’s eye (L&N 7.78).
  89. Luke 6:43 tn The explanatory connective γάρ (gar) is often dropped from translations, but the point of the passage is that one should be self-corrective and be careful who one follows (vv. 41-42), because such choices also reflect what the nature of the tree is and its product.
  90. Luke 6:43 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying both “fruit” and “tree,” can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
  91. Luke 6:43 tc Most mss, especially later ones (A C D Θ Ψ 33 M lat sy sa), lack the adverb πάλιν (palin, “again”) here. Its presence is attested, however, by several good witnesses (P75 א B L W Ξ ƒ1,13 579 892 1241 2542).
  92. Luke 6:44 sn The principle of the passage is that one produces what one is.
  93. Luke 6:44 tn Grk “they do not gather”; this has been simplified to the passive voice in the translation since the subject “they” is not specified further in the context.
  94. Luke 6:44 tn This is a different verb (τρυγῶσιν, trugōsin) for gathering from the previous one (συλλέγουσιν, sullegousin).
  95. Luke 6:44 tn This is a different term (βάτος, batos) for a thorn or bramble bush than the previous one (ἄκανθα, akantha).sn The statement nor are grapes picked from brambles illustrates the principle: That which cannot produce fruit, does not produce fruit.
  96. Luke 6:45 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here and in the following clause (“out of the evil”) as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
  97. Luke 6:45 sn Mention of the heart shows that Jesus is not interested in what is done, but why. Motives are more important than actions for him.
  98. Luke 6:45 tn The word “treasury” is not repeated in the Greek text at this point, but is implied.
  99. Luke 6:45 sn What one utters from one’s mouth is especially singled out as the example of this principle. James seems to have known this teaching (Jas 1:26; 3:1-12).
  100. Luke 6:45 tn Grk “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
  101. Luke 6:46 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  102. Luke 6:46 tn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.
  103. Luke 6:46 sn Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you? Respect is not a matter of mere words, but is reflected in obedient action. This short saying, which is much simpler than its more developed conceptual parallel in Matt 7:21-23, serves in this form to simply warn and issue a call to hear and obey, as the last parable also does in vv. 47-49.
  104. Luke 6:47 tn Grk “and does them.”
  105. Luke 6:48 tn Here and in v. 49 the Greek text reads ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), while the parallel account in Matt 7:24-27 uses ἀνήρ (anēr) in vv. 24 and 26.
  106. Luke 6:48 tn There are actually two different Greek verbs used here: “who dug (ἔσκαψεν, eskapsen) and dug deep (ἐβάθυνεν, ebathunen).” Jesus is placing emphasis on the effort to which the man went to prepare his foundation.
  107. Luke 6:48 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  108. Luke 6:48 sn The picture here is of a river overflowing its banks and causing flooding and chaos.
  109. Luke 6:48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the context.
  110. Luke 6:48 tc Most mss, especially later ones (A C D Θ Ψ ƒ1,13 M latt), read “because he built [it] on the rock” rather than “because it had been well built” (P75vid א B L W Ξ 33 579 892 1241 2542 sa). The reading of the later mss seems to be a harmonization to Matt 7:25, rendering it most likely secondary.
  111. Luke 6:49 tn Grk “does not do [them].”
  112. Luke 6:49 tn Grk “against which”; because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative clause was converted to a temporal clause in the translation and a new sentence started here.
  113. Luke 6:49 tn Grk “it”; the referent (that house) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  114. Luke 6:49 tn Grk “and its crash was great.”sn The extra phrase at the end of this description (and was utterly destroyed) portrays the great disappointment that the destruction of the house caused as it crashed and was swept away.
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Deuteronomy 4:1-6:9
New English Translation

The Privileges of the Covenant

4 Now, Israel, pay attention to the statutes and ordinances[a] I am about to teach you, so that you might live and go on to enter and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors,[b] is giving you. 2 Do not add a thing to what I command you nor subtract from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am delivering to[c] you. 3 You have witnessed what the Lord did at Baal Peor,[d] how he[e] eradicated from your midst everyone who followed Baal Peor.[f] 4 But you who remained faithful to the Lord your God are still alive to this very day, every one of you. 5 Look! I have taught you statutes and ordinances just as the Lord my God told me to do, so that you might carry them out in[g] the land you are about to enter and possess. 6 So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding[h] to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise[i] people.” 7 In fact, what other great nation has a god so near to them like the Lord our God whenever we call on him? 8 And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just[j] as this whole law[k] that I am about to share with[l] you today?

Reminder of the Horeb Covenant

9 Again, however, pay very careful attention,[m] lest you forget the things you have seen and disregard them for the rest of your life; instead teach them to your children and grandchildren. 10 You[n] stood before the Lord your God at Horeb and he[o] said to me, “Assemble the people before me so that I can tell them my commands.[p] Then they will learn to revere me all the days they live in the land, and they will instruct their children.” 11 You approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, a mountain ablaze to the sky above it[q] and yet dark with a thick cloud.[r] 12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the middle of the fire; you heard speech but you could not see anything—only a voice was heard.[s] 13 And he revealed to you the covenant[t] he has commanded you to keep, the Ten Commandments,[u] writing them on two stone tablets. 14 Moreover, at that same time the Lord commanded me to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to keep in the land that you are about to enter and possess.[v]

The Nature of Israel’s God

15 Be very careful,[w] then, because you saw no form at the time the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire. 16 I say this[x] so you will not corrupt yourselves by making an image in the form of any kind of figure. This includes the likeness of a human male or female, 17 any kind of land animal, any bird that flies in the sky, 18 anything that crawls[y] on the ground, or any fish in the deep waters under the earth.[z] 19 When you look up[aa] to the sky[ab] and see the sun, moon, and stars—the whole heavenly creation[ac]—you must not be seduced to worship and serve them,[ad] for the Lord your God has assigned[ae] them to all the people[af] of the world.[ag] 20 You, however, the Lord has selected and brought from Egypt, that iron-smelting furnace,[ah] to be his special people[ai] as you are today. 21 But the Lord became angry with me because of you and vowed that I would never cross the Jordan nor enter the good land that he[aj] is about to give you.[ak] 22 So I must die here in this land; I will not cross the Jordan. But you are going over and will possess that[al] good land. 23 Be on guard so that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he has made with you, and that you do not make an image of any kind, just as he[am] has forbidden[an] you. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire; he is a jealous God.[ao]

Threat and Blessing following Covenant Disobedience

25 After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time,[ap] if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind[aq] and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him,[ar] 26 I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you[as] today that you will surely and swiftly be removed[at] from the very land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not last long there because you will surely be[au] annihilated. 27 Then the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and there will be very few of you[av] among the nations where the Lord will drive you. 28 There you will worship gods made by human hands—wood and stone that can neither see, hear, eat, nor smell. 29 But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul.[aw] 30 In your distress when all these things happen to you in future days, if you return to the Lord your God and obey him[ax] 31 (for he[ay] is a merciful God), he will not let you down[az] or destroy you, for he cannot[ba] forget the covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them.

The Uniqueness of Israel’s God

32 Indeed, ask about the distant past, starting from the day God created humankind[bb] on the earth, and ask[bc] from one end of heaven to the other, whether there has ever been such a great thing as this, or even a rumor of it. 33 Have a people ever heard the voice of God speaking from the middle of fire, as you yourselves have, and lived to tell about it? 34 Or has God[bd] ever before tried to deliver[be] a nation from the middle of another nation, accompanied by judgments,[bf] signs, wonders, war, strength, power,[bg] and other very terrifying things like the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? 35 You have been taught that the Lord alone is God—there is no other besides him. 36 From heaven he spoke to you in order to teach you, and on earth he showed you his great fire from which you also heard his words.[bh] 37 Moreover, because he loved[bi] your ancestors, he chose their[bj] descendants who followed them and personally brought you out of Egypt with his great power 38 to dispossess nations greater and stronger than you and brought you here this day to give you their land as your property.[bk] 39 Today realize and carefully consider that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below—there is no other! 40 Keep his statutes and commandments that I am setting forth[bl] today so that it may go well with you and your descendants and that you may enjoy longevity in the land that the Lord your God is about to give you as a permanent possession.”

The Narrative Concerning Cities of Refuge

41 Then Moses selected three cities in the Transjordan, toward the east. 42 Anyone who accidentally killed someone[bm] without hating him at the time of the accident[bn] could flee to one of those cities and be safe. 43 These cities are Bezer, in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan for the Manassehites.

The Setting and Introduction of the Covenant

44 This is the law that Moses set before the Israelites.[bo] 45 These are the stipulations, statutes, and ordinances that Moses spoke to the Israelites after he had brought them out of Egypt, 46 in the Transjordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. (It is he whom Moses and the Israelites attacked after they came out of Egypt. 47 They possessed his land and that of King Og of Bashan—both of whom were Amorite kings in the Transjordan, to the east. 48 Their territory extended[bp] from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon valley as far as Mount Siyon[bq]—that is, Hermon— 49 including all the rift valley of the Transjordan in the east to the sea of the rift valley,[br] beneath the slopes[bs] of Pisgah.)

The Opening Exhortation

5 Then Moses called all the people of Israel together and said to them:[bt] “Listen, Israel, to the statutes and ordinances that I am about to deliver to you today; learn them and be careful to keep them! 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3 He[bu] did not make this covenant with our ancestors[bv] but with us, we who are here today, all of us living now. 4 The Lord spoke face to face with you at the mountain, from the middle of the fire. 5 (I was standing between the Lord and you at that time to reveal the Lord’s message to you, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain.) He said:

The Ten Commandments

6 “I am the Lord your God—he who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery.

7 “You must not have any other gods[bw] besides me.[bx]

8 “You must not make for yourself an image[by] of anything in heaven above, on earth below, or in the waters beneath.[bz] 9 You must not worship or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish[ca] the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject[cb] me,[cc] 10 but I show covenant faithfulness[cd] to the thousands[ce] who choose[cf] me and keep my commandments.

11 “You must not make use of the name of the Lord your God for worthless purposes,[cg] for the Lord will not exonerate anyone who abuses his name that way.[ch]

12 “Be careful to observe[ci] the Sabbath day just as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 You are to work and do all your tasks in six days, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath[cj] of the Lord your God. On that day you must not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male slave, your female slave, your ox, your donkey, any other animal, or the resident foreigner who lives with you,[ck] so that your male and female slaves, like yourself, may have rest. 15 Recall that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there by strength and power.[cl] That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to observe[cm] the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor[cn] your father and your mother just as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that your days may be extended and that it may go well with you in the land that he[co] is about to give you.

17 “You must not murder.[cp]

18 “You must not commit adultery.

19 “You must not steal.

20 “You must not offer false testimony against another.[cq] 21 You must not desire[cr] another man’s[cs] wife, nor should you crave his[ct] house, his field, his male and female servants, his ox, his donkey, or anything else he owns.”[cu]

The Narrative of the Sinai Revelation and Israel’s Response

22 The Lord said these things to your entire assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the cloud, and the darkness with a loud voice, and that was all he said.[cv] Then he inscribed the words[cw] on two stone tablets and gave them to me. 23 Then, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness while the mountain was ablaze, all your tribal leaders and elders approached me. 24 You said, “The Lord our God has shown us his great glory,[cx] and we have heard him speak from the middle of the fire. It is now clear to us[cy] that God can speak to human beings and they can keep on living. 25 But now, why should we die, because this intense fire will consume us? If we keep hearing the voice of the Lord our God we will die! 26 Who is there from the entire human race[cz] who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the middle of the fire as we have, and has lived? 27 You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he[da] says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.” 28 When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he[db] said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you—they have spoken well. 29 If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey[dc] all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever. 30 Go and tell them, ‘Return to your tents!’ 31 But as for you, remain here with me so I can declare to you all the commandments,[dd] statutes, and ordinances that you are to teach them, so that they can carry them out in the land I am about to give them.”[de] 32 Be careful, therefore, to do exactly what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn right or left! 33 Walk just as he[df] has commanded you so that you may live, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long[dg] in the land you are going to possess.

Exhortation to Keep the Covenant Principles

6 Now these are the commandments,[dh] statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed[di] 2 and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments[dj] that I am giving[dk] you—you, your children, and your grandchildren—all your lives, to prolong your days. 3 Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number[dl]—as the Lord, the God of your ancestors,[dm] said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.

The Essence of the Covenant Principles

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one![dn] 5 You must love[do] the Lord your God with your whole mind,[dp] your whole being,[dq] and all your strength.[dr]

Exhortation to Teach the Covenant Principles

6 These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, 7 and you must teach[ds] them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road,[dt] as you lie down, and as you get up. 8 You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm[du] and fasten them as symbols[dv] on your forehead. 9 Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.[dw]

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 4:1 tn These technical Hebrew terms (חֻקִּים [khuqqim] and מִשְׁפָּטִים [mishpatim]) occur repeatedly throughout the Book of Deuteronomy to describe the covenant stipulations to which Israel had been called to subscribe (see, in this chapter alone, vv. 1, 5, 6, 8). The word חֻקִּים derives from the verb חֹק (khoq, “to inscribe; to carve”) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim) from שָׁפַט (shafat, “to judge”). They are virtually synonymous and are used interchangeably in Deuteronomy.
  2. Deuteronomy 4:1 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 31, 37).
  3. Deuteronomy 4:2 tn Heb “commanding.”
  4. Deuteronomy 4:3 tc The LXX and Syriac read “to Baal Peor,” that is, the god worshiped at that place; see note on the name “Beth Peor” in Deut 3:29.
  5. Deuteronomy 4:3 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
  6. Deuteronomy 4:3 tn Or “followed the Baal of Peor” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV), referring to the pagan god Baal.
  7. Deuteronomy 4:5 tn Heb “in the midst of” (so ASV).
  8. Deuteronomy 4:6 tn Heb “it is wisdom and understanding.”
  9. Deuteronomy 4:6 tn Heb “wise and understanding.”
  10. Deuteronomy 4:8 tn Or “pure”; or “fair”; Heb “righteous.”
  11. Deuteronomy 4:8 tn The Hebrew phrase הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת (hattorah hazzot), in this context, refers specifically to the Book of Deuteronomy. That is, it is the collection of all the חֻקִּים (khuqqim, “statutes,” 4:1) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim, “ordinances,” 4:1) to be included in the covenant text. In a full canonical sense, of course, it pertains to the entire Pentateuch or Torah.
  12. Deuteronomy 4:8 tn Heb “place before.”
  13. Deuteronomy 4:9 tn Heb “watch yourself and watch your soul carefully.”
  14. Deuteronomy 4:10 tn The text begins with “(the) day (in) which.” In the Hebrew text v. 10 is subordinate to v. 11, but for stylistic reasons the translation treats v. 10 as an independent clause, necessitating the omission of the subordinating temporal phrase at the beginning of the verse.
  15. Deuteronomy 4:10 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  16. Deuteronomy 4:10 tn Heb “my words.” See v. 13; in Hebrew the “ten commandments” are the “ten words.”
  17. Deuteronomy 4:11 tn Heb “a mountain burning with fire as far as the heart of the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
  18. Deuteronomy 4:11 tn Heb “darkness, cloud, and heavy cloud.”
  19. Deuteronomy 4:12 tn The words “was heard” are supplied in the translation to avoid the impression that the voice was seen.
  20. Deuteronomy 4:13 sn This is the first occurrence of the word בְּרִית (berit, “covenant”) in the Book of Deuteronomy but it appears commonly hereafter (4:23, 31; 5:2, 3; 7:9, 12; 8:18; 9:9, 10, 11, 15; 10:2, 4, 5, 8; 17:2; 29:1, 9, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21, 25; 31:9, 16, 20, 25, 26; 33:9). Etymologically, it derives from the notion of linking or yoking together. See M. Weinfeld, TDOT 2:255.
  21. Deuteronomy 4:13 tn Heb “the ten words.”
  22. Deuteronomy 4:14 tn Heb “to which you are crossing over to possess it.”
  23. Deuteronomy 4:15 tn Heb “give great care to your souls.”
  24. Deuteronomy 4:16 tn The words “I say this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 16 is subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.
  25. Deuteronomy 4:18 tn Heb “creeping thing.”
  26. Deuteronomy 4:18 tn Heb “under the earth.”
  27. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Heb “lest you lift up your eyes.” In the Hebrew text vv. 16-19 are subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.
  28. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
  29. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Heb “all the host of heaven.”
  30. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn In the Hebrew text the verbal sequence in v. 19 is “lest you look up…and see…and be seduced…and worship them…and serve them.” However, the first two actions are not prohibited in and of themselves. The prohibition pertains to the final three actions. The first two verbs describe actions that are logically subordinate to the following actions and can be treated as temporal or circumstantial: “lest, looking up…and seeing…, you are seduced.” See Joüon 2:635 §168.h.
  31. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Or “allotted.”
  32. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Or “nations.”
  33. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Heb “under all the heaven.”sn The OT views the heavenly host as God’s council, which surrounds his royal throne ready to do his bidding (see 1 Kgs 22:19). God has given this group, sometimes called the “sons of God” (cf. Job 1:6; 38:7; Ps 89:6), jurisdiction over the nations. See Deut 32:8 (LXX). Some also see this assembly as the addressee in Ps 82. While God delegated his council to rule over the nations, he established a theocratic government over Israel and ruled directly over his chosen people via the Mosaic covenant. See v. 20, as well as Deut 32:9.
  34. Deuteronomy 4:20 tn A כּוּר (kur) was not a source of heat but a crucible (“iron-smelting furnace”) in which precious metals were melted down and their impurities burned away (see I. Cornelius, NIDOTTE 2:618-19); cf. NAB “that iron foundry, Egypt.” The term is a metaphor for intense heat. Here it refers to the oppression and suffering Israel endured in Egypt. Since a crucible was used to burn away impurities, it is possible that the metaphor views Egypt as a place of refinement to bring Israel to a place of submission to divine sovereignty.
  35. Deuteronomy 4:20 tn Heb “to be his people of inheritance.” The Lord compares his people to valued property inherited from one’s ancestors and passed on to one’s descendants.
  36. Deuteronomy 4:21 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  37. Deuteronomy 4:21 tn The Hebrew text includes “(as) an inheritance,” or “(as) a possession.”
  38. Deuteronomy 4:22 tn Heb “this.” The translation uses “that” to avoid confusion; earlier in the verse Moses refers to Transjordan as “this land.”
  39. Deuteronomy 4:23 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  40. Deuteronomy 4:23 tn Heb “commanded.”
  41. Deuteronomy 4:24 tn The juxtaposition of the Hebrew terms אֵשׁ (ʾesh, “fire”) and קַנָּא (qannaʾ, “jealous”) is interesting in light of Deut 6:15 where the Lord is seen as a jealous God whose anger bursts into a destructive fire. For God to be “jealous” means that his holiness and uniqueness cannot tolerate pretended or imaginary rivals. It is not petty envy but response to an act of insubordination that must be severely judged (see H. Peels, NIDOTTE 3:937-40).
  42. Deuteronomy 4:25 tn Heb “have grown old in the land,” i.e., been there for a long time.
  43. Deuteronomy 4:25 tn Heb “a form of anything.” Cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV “an idol.”
  44. Deuteronomy 4:25 tn The infinitive construct is understood here as indicating the result, not the intention, of their actions.
  45. Deuteronomy 4:26 sn I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you. This stock formula introduces what is known form-critically as a רִיב (riv) or controversy pattern. It is commonly used in the ancient Near Eastern world in legal contexts and in the OT as a forensic or judicial device to draw attention to Israel’s violation of the Lord’s covenant with them (see Deut 30:19; Isa 1:2; 3:13; Jer 2:9). Since court proceedings required the testimony of witnesses, the Lord here summons heaven and earth (that is, all creation) to testify to his faithfulness, Israel’s disobedience, and the threat of judgment.
  46. Deuteronomy 4:26 tn Or “be destroyed”; KJV “utterly perish”; NLT “will quickly disappear”; CEV “you won’t have long to live.”
  47. Deuteronomy 4:26 tn Or “be completely” (so NCV, TEV). It is not certain here if the infinitive absolute indicates the certainty of the following action (cf. NIV) or its degree.
  48. Deuteronomy 4:27 tn Heb “you will be left men (i.e., few) of number.”
  49. Deuteronomy 4:29 tn Or “mind and being.” See Deut 6:5.
  50. Deuteronomy 4:30 tn Heb “hear his voice.” The expression is an idiom meaning “obey,” occurring in Deut 8:20; 9:23; 13:18; 21:18, 20; 26:14, 17; 27:10; 28:1-2, 15, 45, 62; 30:2, 8, 10, 20.
  51. Deuteronomy 4:31 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  52. Deuteronomy 4:31 tn Heb “he will not drop you,” i.e., “will not abandon you” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
  53. Deuteronomy 4:31 tn Or “will not.” The translation understands the imperfect verbal form to have an added nuance of capability here.
  54. Deuteronomy 4:32 tn The Hebrew term אָדָם (ʾadam) may refer either to Adam or, more likely, to “man” in the sense of the human race (“mankind,” “humankind”). The idea here seems more universal in scope than reference to Adam alone would suggest.
  55. Deuteronomy 4:32 tn The verb is not present in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarification. The challenge has both temporal and geographical dimensions. The people are challenged to (1) inquire about the entire scope of past history and (2) conduct their investigation on a worldwide scale.
  56. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn The translation assumes the reference is to Israel’s God in which case the point is this: God’s intervention in Israel’s experience is unique in the sense that he has never intervened in such power for any other people on earth. The focus is on the uniqueness of Israel’s experience. Some understand the divine name here in a generic sense, “a god,” or “any god.” In this case God’s incomparability is the focus (cf. v. 35, where this theme is expressed).
  57. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn Heb “tried to go to take for himself.”
  58. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn Heb “by testings.” The reference here is the judgments upon Pharaoh in the form of plagues. See Deut 7:19 (cf. v. 18) and 29:3 (cf. v. 2).
  59. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn Heb “by strong hand and by outstretched arm.”
  60. Deuteronomy 4:36 tn Heb “and his words you heard from the midst of the fire.”
  61. Deuteronomy 4:37 tn The concept of love here is not primarily that of emotional affection but of commitment or devotion. This verse suggests that God chose Israel to be his special people because he loved the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and had promised to bless their descendants. See as well Deut 7:7-9.
  62. Deuteronomy 4:37 tc The LXX, Smr, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read a third person masculine plural suffix for the MT’s third person masculine singular, “his descendants.” Cf. Deut 10:15. Quite likely the MT should be emended in this instance.
  63. Deuteronomy 4:38 tn Heb “(as) an inheritance,” that is, landed property that one can pass on to one’s descendants.
  64. Deuteronomy 4:40 tn Heb “commanding” (so NRSV).
  65. Deuteronomy 4:42 tn Heb “the slayer who slew his neighbor without knowledge.”
  66. Deuteronomy 4:42 tn Heb “yesterday and a third (day).” The point is that there was no animosity between the two parties at the time of the accident and therefore no motive for the killing.
  67. Deuteronomy 4:44 tn Heb “the sons of Israel” (likewise in the following verse).
  68. Deuteronomy 4:48 tn The words “their territory extended” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 47-49 are all one sentence, but for the sake of English style and readability the translation divides the text into two sentences.
  69. Deuteronomy 4:48 sn Mount Siyon (the Hebrew name is שִׂיאֹן [siʾon], not to be confused with Zion [צִיּוֹן, tsiyyon]) is another name for Mount Hermon, also called Sirion and Senir (cf. Deut 3:9).
  70. Deuteronomy 4:49 sn The sea of the rift valley refers to the Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea in OT times (cf. Deut 3:17).
  71. Deuteronomy 4:49 sn The “slopes” refer to the ascent from the rift valley up to the plains in the east. The slopes of Pisgah are across from the northern tip of the Dead Sea.
  72. Deuteronomy 5:1 tn Heb “and Moses called to all Israel and he said to them”; NAB, NASB, NIV “Moses summoned (convened NRSV) all Israel.”
  73. Deuteronomy 5:3 tn Heb “the Lord.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
  74. Deuteronomy 5:3 tn Heb “fathers.”
  75. Deuteronomy 5:7 tn Heb “there must not be for you other gods.” The expression “for you” indicates possession.
  76. Deuteronomy 5:7 tn Heb “upon my face,” or “before me” (עַל־פָּנָיַ, ʿal panaya). Some understand this in a locative sense: “in my sight.” The translation assumes that the phrase indicates exclusion. The idea is that of placing any other god before the Lord in the sense of taking his place. Contrary to the view of some, this does not leave the door open for a henotheistic system where the Lord is the primary god among others. In its literary context the statement must be taken in a monotheistic sense. See, e.g., 4:39; 6:13-15.
  77. Deuteronomy 5:8 tn Heb “an image, any likeness.”
  78. Deuteronomy 5:8 tn Heb “under the earth” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV); NCV “below the land.”
  79. Deuteronomy 5:9 tn In the Hebrew text the form is a participle, which is subordinated to what precedes. For the sake of English style, the translation divides this lengthy verse into two sentences.
  80. Deuteronomy 5:9 tn Heb “who hate” (so NAB, NIV, NLT). Just as “to love” (אָהֵב, ʾahev) means in a covenant context “to choose, obey,” so “to hate” (שָׂנֵא, saneʾ) means “to reject, disobey” (cf. the note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37; see also 5:10).
  81. Deuteronomy 5:9 tn Heb “visiting the sin of fathers upon sons and upon a third (generation) and upon a fourth (generation) of those who hate me.” God sometimes punishes children for the sins of a father (cf. Num 16:27, 32; Josh 7:24-25; 2 Sam 21:1-9). On the principle of corporate solidarity and responsibility in OT thought see J. Kaminsky, Corporate Responsibility in the Hebrew Bible (JSOTSup). In the idiom of the text, the father is the first generation and the “sons” the second generation, making grandsons the third and great-grandsons the fourth. The reference to a third and fourth generation is a way of emphasizing that the sinner’s punishment would last throughout his lifetime. In this culture, where men married and fathered children at a relatively young age, it would not be unusual for one to see his great-grandsons. In an Aramaic tomb inscription from Nerab dating to the seventh century b.c., Agbar observes that he was surrounded by “children of the fourth generation” as he lay on his death bed (see ANET 661). The language of the text differs from Exod 34:7, the sons are the first generation, the grandsons (literally, “sons of the sons”) the second, great-grandsons the third, and great-great-grandsons the fourth. One could argue that formulation in Deut 5:9 (see also Exod 20:5) is elliptical/abbreviated or that the text suffers from an accidental scribal omission (the repetition of the words “sons” would invite accidental omission).
  82. Deuteronomy 5:10 tn This theologically rich term (חֶסֶד, khesed) describes God’s loyalty to those who keep covenant with him. Sometimes it is used synonymously with בְּרִית (berit, “covenant”; Deut 7:9), and sometimes interchangeably with it (Deut 7:12). See H.-J. Zobel, TDOT 5:44-64.
  83. Deuteronomy 5:10 tc By a slight emendation (לֲאַלֻּפִים [laʾallufim] for לַאֲלָפִים [laʾalafim]) “clans” could be read in place of the MT reading “thousands.” However, no ms or versional evidence exists to support this emendation.tn Another option is to understand this as referring to “thousands (of generations) of those who love me” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). See Deut 7:9.
  84. Deuteronomy 5:10 tn Heb “love.” See note on the word “reject” in v. 9.
  85. Deuteronomy 5:11 tn Heb “take up the name of the Lord your God to emptiness”; KJV “take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” The idea here is not cursing or profanity in the modern sense of these terms, but rather the use of the divine Name for unholy, mundane purposes, that is, for meaningless (Hebrew שָׁוְא [shavʾ]) and empty ends. In ancient Israel this would include using the Lord’s name as a witness in vows one did not intend to keep.
  86. Deuteronomy 5:11 tn Heb “who takes up his name to emptiness.”
  87. Deuteronomy 5:12 tn Heb “to make holy,” that is, to put to special use, in this case, to sacred purposes (cf. vv. 13-15).
  88. Deuteronomy 5:14 tn There is some degree of paronomasia (wordplay) here: “the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי, hasheviʿi) day is the Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, shabbat).” Otherwise, the words have nothing in common, since “Sabbath” is derived from the verb שָׁבַת (shavat, “to cease”).
  89. Deuteronomy 5:14 tn Heb “in your gates”; NRSV, CEV “in your towns”; TEV “in your country.”
  90. Deuteronomy 5:15 tn Heb “by a strong hand and an outstretched arm,” the hand and arm symbolizing divine activity and strength. Cf. NLT “with amazing power and mighty deeds.”
  91. Deuteronomy 5:15 tn Or “keep” (so KJV, NRSV).
  92. Deuteronomy 5:16 tn The imperative here means, literally, “regard as heavy” (כַּבֵּד, kabbed). The meaning is that great importance must be ascribed to parents by their children.
  93. Deuteronomy 5:16 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  94. Deuteronomy 5:17 tn Traditionally “kill” (so KJV, ASV, RSV, NAB). The verb here (רָצַח, ratsakh) is generic for homicide but in the OT both killing in war and capital punishment were permitted and even commanded (Deut 13:5, 9; 20:13, 16-17), so the technical meaning here is “murder.”
  95. Deuteronomy 5:20 tn Heb “your neighbor.” Clearly this is intended generically, however, and not to be limited only to those persons who live nearby (frequently the way “neighbor” is understood in contemporary contexts). So also in v. 20.
  96. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn The Hebrew verb used here (חָמַד, khamad) is different from the one translated “crave” (אָוַה, ʾavah) in the next line. The former has sexual overtones (“lust” or the like; cf. Song of Sol 2:3) whereas the latter has more the idea of a desire or craving for material things.
  97. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn Heb “your neighbor’s.” See note on the term “fellow man” in v. 19.
  98. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn Heb “your neighbor’s.” The pronoun is used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  99. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn Heb “or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
  100. Deuteronomy 5:22 tn Heb “and he added no more” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NLT “This was all he said at that time.”
  101. Deuteronomy 5:22 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the words spoken by the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  102. Deuteronomy 5:24 tn Heb “his glory and his greatness.”
  103. Deuteronomy 5:24 tn Heb “this day we have seen.”
  104. Deuteronomy 5:26 tn Heb “who is there of all flesh.”
  105. Deuteronomy 5:27 tn Heb “the Lord our God.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  106. Deuteronomy 5:28 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  107. Deuteronomy 5:29 tn Heb “keep” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
  108. Deuteronomy 5:31 tn Heb “commandment.” The MT actually has the singular (הַמִּצְוָה, hammitsvah), suggesting perhaps that the following terms (חֻקִּים [khuqqim] and מִשְׁפָּטִים [mishpatim]) are in epexegetical apposition to “commandment.” That is, the phrase could be translated “the entire command, namely, the statutes and ordinances.” This would essentially make מִצְוָה (mitsvah) synonymous with תּוֹרָה (torah), the usual term for the whole collection of law.
  109. Deuteronomy 5:31 tn Heb “to possess it” (so KJV, ASV); NLT “as their inheritance.”
  110. Deuteronomy 5:33 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
  111. Deuteronomy 5:33 tn Heb “may prolong your days”; NAB “may have long life”; TEV “will continue to live.”
  112. Deuteronomy 6:1 tn Heb “commandment.” The word מִצְוָה (mitsvah) again is in the singular, serving as a comprehensive term for the whole stipulation section of the book. See note on the word “commandments” in 5:31.
  113. Deuteronomy 6:1 tn Heb “where you are going over to possess it” (so NASB); NRSV “that you are about to cross into and occupy.”
  114. Deuteronomy 6:2 tn Here the terms are not the usual חֻקִּים (khuqqim) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim; as in v. 1) but חֻקֹּת (khuqqot, “statutes”) and מִצְוֹת (mitsvot, “commandments”). It is clear that these terms are used interchangeably and that their technical precision ought not be overly stressed.
  115. Deuteronomy 6:2 tn Heb “commanding.” For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation.
  116. Deuteronomy 6:3 tn Heb “may multiply greatly” (so NASB, NRSV); the words “in number” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  117. Deuteronomy 6:3 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 10, 18, 23).
  118. Deuteronomy 6:4 tn Heb “the Lord, our God, the Lord, one.” (1) One option is to translate: “The Lord is our God, the Lord alone” (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT). This would be an affirmation that the Lord was the sole object of their devotion. This interpretation finds support from the appeals to loyalty that follow (vv. 5, 14). (2) Another option is to translate: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is unique.” In this case the text would be affirming the people’s allegiance to the Lord, as well as the Lord’s superiority to all other gods. It would also imply that he is the only one worthy of their worship. Support for this view comes from parallel texts such as Deut 7:9 and 10:17, as well as the use of “one” in Song 6:8-9, where the starstruck lover declares that his beloved is unique (literally, “one,” that is, “one of a kind”) when compared to all other women.sn Verses 4-5 constitute the so-called Shema (after the first word שְׁמַע, shemaʿ, “hear”), widely regarded as the very heart of Jewish confession and faith. When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment of all, he quoted this text (Matt 22:37-38).
  119. Deuteronomy 6:5 tn The verb אָהֵב (ʾahev, “to love”) in this setting communicates not so much an emotional idea as one of covenant commitment. To love the Lord is to be absolutely loyal and obedient to him in every respect, a truth Jesus himself taught (cf. John 14:15). See also the note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37.
  120. Deuteronomy 6:5 tn Heb “heart.” In OT physiology the heart (לֵב, לֵבָב; levav, lev) was considered the seat of the mind or intellect, so that one could think with one’s heart. See A. Luc, NIDOTTE 2:749-54.
  121. Deuteronomy 6:5 tn Heb “soul”; “being.” Contrary to Hellenistic ideas of a soul that is discrete and separate from the body and spirit, OT anthropology equated the “soul” (נֶפֶשׁ, nefesh) with the person himself. It is therefore best in most cases to translate נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) as “being” or the like. See H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 10-25; D. Fredericks, NIDOTTE 3:133-34.
  122. Deuteronomy 6:5 sn For NT variations on the Shema see Matt 22:37-39; Mark 12:29-30; Luke 10:27.
  123. Deuteronomy 6:7 tn Heb “repeat” (so NLT). If from the root I שָׁנַן (shanan), the verb means essentially to “engrave,” that is, “to teach incisively” (Piel); note NAB “Drill them into your children.” Cf. BDB 1041-42 s.v.
  124. Deuteronomy 6:7 tn Or “as you are away on a journey” (cf. NRSV, TEV, NLT); NAB “at home and abroad.”
  125. Deuteronomy 6:8 sn Tie them as a sign on your forearm. Later Jewish tradition referred to the little leather containers tied to the forearms and foreheads as tefillin. They were to contain the following passages from the Torah: Exod 13:1-10, 11-16; Deut 6:5-9; 11:13-21. The purpose was to serve as a “sign” of covenant relationship and obedience.
  126. Deuteronomy 6:8 sn Fasten them as symbols on your forehead. These were also known later as tefillin (see previous note) or phylacteries (from the Greek term). These box-like containers, like those on the forearms, held the same scraps of the Torah. It was the hypocritical practice of wearing these without heartfelt sincerity that caused Jesus to speak scathingly about them (cf. Matt 23:5).
  127. Deuteronomy 6:9 sn The Hebrew term מְזוּזֹת (mezuzot) refers both to the door frames and to small cases attached on them containing scripture texts (always Deut 6:4-9 and 11:13-21; and sometimes the decalogue; Exod 13:1-10, 11-16; and Num 10:35-36). See J. H. Tigay, Deuteronomy (JPSTC), 443-44.
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