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Deuteronomy 18:5-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Deuteronomy 18:5-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 For the Lord your God has chosen Levi[a] out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.(A)
6 “If a Levite leaves any of your towns, from wherever he has been residing in Israel, and comes to the place that the Lord will choose (and he may come whenever he wishes), 7 then he may minister in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow-Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord. 8 They shall have equal portions to eat, even though they have income from the sale of family possessions.[b](B)
Child-Sacrifice, Divination, and Magic Prohibited
9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you must not learn to imitate the abhorrent practices of those nations.(C) 10 No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through fire, or who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer,(D) 11 or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. 12 For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the Lord your God is driving them out before you.(E) 13 You must remain completely loyal to the Lord your God. 14 Although these nations that you are about to dispossess do give heed to soothsayers and diviners, as for you, the Lord your God does not permit you to do so.
A New Prophet Like Moses
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet.[c](F) 16 This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’(G) 17 Then the Lord replied to me, ‘They are right in what they have said.(H) 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet,[d] who shall speak to them everything that I command.(I) 19 Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet[e] shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable.(J) 20 But any prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’(K)
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Deuteronomy 18:5-20
New International Version
Deuteronomy 18:5-20
New International Version
5 for the Lord your God has chosen them(A) and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister(B) in the Lord’s name always.(C)
6 If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living, and comes in all earnestness to the place the Lord will choose,(D) 7 he may minister in the name(E) of the Lord his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the Lord. 8 He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.(F)
Occult Practices
9 When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate(G) the detestable ways(H) of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire,(I) who practices divination(J) or sorcery,(K) interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,(L) 11 or casts spells,(M) or who is a medium or spiritist(N) or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.(O) 13 You must be blameless(P) before the Lord your God.(Q)
The Prophet
14 The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination.(R) But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites.(S) You must listen to him. 16 For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”(T)
17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet(U) like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words(V) in his mouth.(W) He will tell them everything I command him.(X) 19 I myself will call to account(Y) anyone who does not listen(Z) to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.(AA) 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods,(AB) is to be put to death.”(AC)
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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