Worshiping Other Gods

²¹ Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole^(A) beside the altar you build to the Lord your God,^{(B) 22} and do not erect a sacred stone,^(C) for these the Lord your God hates.

17 Do not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep that has any defect^(D) or flaw in it, for that would be detestable^(E) to him.^(F)

² If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the Lord gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God in violation of his covenant,^{(G) 3} and contrary to my command^(H) has worshiped other gods,^(I) bowing down to them or to the sun^(J) or the moon or the stars in the sky,^{(K) 4} and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true^(L) and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,^{(M) 5} take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.^{(N) 6} On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.^{(O) 7} The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting that person to death,^(P) and then the hands of all the people.^(Q) You must purge the evil^(R) from among you.

Law Courts

⁸ If cases come before your courts that are too difficult for you to judge^(S)—whether bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults^(T)—take them to the place the Lord your God will choose.^{(U) 9} Go to the Levitical^(V) priests and to the judge^(W) who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.^{(X) 10} You must act according to the decisions they give you at the place the Lord will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you to do. ¹¹ Act according to whatever they teach you and the decisions they give you. Do not turn aside from what they tell you, to the right or to the left.^{(Y) 12} Anyone who shows contempt^(Z) for the judge or for the priest who stands ministering^(AA) there to the Lord your God is to be put to death.^(AB) You must purge the evil from Israel.^{(AC) 13} All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.^(AD)

The King

¹⁴ When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you and have taken possession^(AE) of it and settled in it,^(AF) and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”^{(AG) 15} be sure to appoint^(AH) over you a king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites.^(AI) Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. ¹⁶ The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses^(AJ) for himself^(AK) or make the people return to Egypt^(AL) to get more of them,^(AM) for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.”^{(AN) 17} He must not take many wives,^(AO) or his heart will be led astray.^(AP) He must not accumulate^(AQ) large amounts of silver and gold.^(AR)

¹⁸ When he takes the throne^(AS) of his kingdom, he is to write^(AT) for himself on a scroll a copy^(AU) of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life^(AV) so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees^{(AW) 20} and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law^(AX) to the right or to the left.^(AY) Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.^(AZ)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast^(A)(B)

³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(C) a mustard seed,^(D) which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”^(E)

³³ He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(F) yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds^[a] of flour^(G) until it worked all through the dough.”^(H)

³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.^{(I) 35} So was fulfilled^(J) what was spoken through the prophet:

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

³⁶ Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable^(L) of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.^{(M) 38} The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,^{(N) 39} and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest^(O) is the end of the age,^(P) and the harvesters are angels.^(Q)

⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man^(R) will send out his angels,^(S) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{(T) 43} Then the righteous will shine like the sun^(U) in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(V)

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like^(W) treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.^(X)

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like^(Y) a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like^(Z) a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds^(AA) of fish. ⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous^{(AB) 50} and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(AC)

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

A Prophet Without Honor^(AD)

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables,^(AE) he moved on from there. ⁵⁴ Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue,^(AF) and they were amazed.^(AG) “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. ⁵⁵ “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?^(AH) Isn’t his mother’s^(AI) name Mary, and aren’t his brothers^(AJ) James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And they took offense^(AK) at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”^(AL)

⁵⁸ And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.