Deuteronomy 13:1-11

New American Standard Bible

Reject Idolatry

13 “^[a](A)If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, ² and the sign or the wonder comes true, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘^(B)Let’s follow other gods (whom you have not known) and let’s serve them,’ ³ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is ^(C)testing you to find out whether ^(D)you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. ^4 (E)You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and ^(F)cling to Him. ⁵ But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be ^(G)put to death, because he has spoken falsely against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of ^[b]slavery, ^(H)to drive you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. ^(I)So you shall eliminate the evil from among you.

⁶ “^(J)If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife ^[c]you cherish, or your friend who is like your own soul, entices you secretly, saying, ‘^(K)Let’s go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, ⁷ of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you, or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end), ^8 (L)you shall not consent to him or listen to him; ^(M)and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him. ^9 (N)Instead, you shall most certainly kill him; ^(O)your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. ¹⁰ So you shall stone him ^[d]to death, because he has attempted ^(P)to drive you away from the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of ^[e]slavery. ¹¹ Then ^(Q)all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and will not do such a wicked thing among you again.