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Deuteronomy 5-6

The Ten Commandments

(Exodus 20.1-17)

Moses called together the people of Israel and said:

Today I am telling you the laws and teachings that you must follow, so listen carefully. The Lord our God made an agreement with our nation at Mount Sinai.[a] That agreement wasn't only with[b] our ancestors but with us, who are here today. The Lord himself spoke to you out of the fire, but you were afraid of the fire and refused to go up the mountain. So I spoke with the Lord for you, then I told you that he had said:

I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves.

Do not worship any god except me.

(A) Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on earth or in the ocean under the earth. (B) Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the Lord your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me and worship idols, I will punish your families for three or four generations. 10 But if you love me and obey my laws, I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations.

11 (C) Do not misuse my name.[c] I am the Lord your God, and I will punish anyone who misuses my name.

12 (D) Show respect for the Sabbath Day—it belongs to me. 13 (E) You have six days when you can do your work, 14 but the seventh day of the week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day—not you, your children, your oxen or donkeys or any other animal, not even those foreigners who live in your towns. And don't make your slaves do any work. 15 This special day of rest will remind you that I reached out my mighty arm and rescued you from slavery in Egypt.

16 (F) Respect your father and mother, and you will live a long and successful life in the land I am giving you.

17 (G) Do not murder.

18 (H) Be faithful in marriage.

19 (I) Do not steal.

20 (J) Do not tell lies about others.

21 (K) Do not desire to possess anything that belongs to another person—not a house, a wife, a husband, a slave, an ox, a donkey, or anything else.

22 (L) When we were gathered at the mountain, the Lord spoke to us in a loud voice from the dark fiery cloud. The Lord gave us these commands, and only these. Then he wrote them on two flat stones and gave them to me.

The People Were Afraid

(Exodus 20.18-21)

Moses said to Israel:

23 When fire blazed from the mountain, and you heard the voice coming from the darkness, your tribal leaders came to me 24 and said:

Today the Lord our God has shown us how powerful and glorious he is. He spoke to us from the fire, and we learned that people can live, even though God speaks to them. 25 But we don't want to take a chance on being killed by that terrible fire, and if we keep on hearing the Lord's voice, we will die. 26 Has anyone else ever heard the only true God speaking from fire, as we have? And even if they have, would they live to tell about it? 27 Moses, go up close and listen to the Lord. Then come back and tell us, and we will do everything he says.

28 The Lord heard you and said:

Moses, I heard what the people said to you, and I approve. 29 I wish they would always worship me with fear and trembling and be this willing to obey me! Then they and their children would always enjoy a successful life.

30 Now, tell them to return to their tents, 31 but you come back here to me. After I tell you my laws and teachings, you will repeat them to the people, so they can obey these laws in the land I am giving them.

Moses said:

32 Israel, you must carefully obey the Lord's commands. 33 Follow them, because they make a path that will lead to a long successful life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

The Most Important Commandment

Moses said to Israel:

The Lord told me to give you these laws and teachings,[d] so you can obey them in the land he is giving you. Soon you will cross the Jordan River and take that land. And if you and your descendants want to live a long time, you must always worship the Lord and obey his laws. Pay attention, Israel! Our ancestors worshiped the Lord, and he promised to give us this land that is rich with milk and honey. Be careful to obey him, and you will become a successful and powerful nation.

(M) Listen, Israel! The Lord our God is the only true God![e] (N) So love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. (O) Memorize his laws and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you're at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them. Write these laws on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates.

Worship Only the Lord

Moses said to Israel:

10 (P) The Lord promised your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would give you this land. Now he will take you there and give you large towns, with good buildings that you didn't build, 11 and houses full of good things that you didn't put there. The Lord will give you wells[f] that you didn't have to dig, and vineyards and olive orchards that you didn't have to plant. But when you have eaten so much that you can't eat any more, 12 don't forget it was the Lord who set you free from slavery and brought you out of Egypt. 13 (Q) Worship and obey the Lord your God with fear and trembling, and promise that you will be loyal to him.

14 Don't have anything to do with gods that are worshiped by the nations around you. 15 If you worship other gods, the Lord will be furious and wipe you off the face of the earth. The Lord your God is with you, 16 (R) so don't try to make him prove that he can help you, as you did at Massah.[g] 17 Always obey the laws that the Lord has given you 18-19 and live in a way that pleases him. Then you will be able to go in and take this good land from your enemies, just as he promised your ancestors.

20 Someday your children will ask, “Why did the Lord give us these laws and teachings?”

21 Then you will answer:

We were slaves of the king of Egypt, but the Lord used his great power and set us free. 22 We saw him perform miracles and make horrible things happen to the king, his officials, and everyone else. 23 The Lord rescued us from Egypt, so he could bring us into this land, as he had promised our ancestors. 24-25 That's why the Lord our God demands that we obey his laws and worship him with fear and trembling. And if we do, he will protect us and help us be successful.

Luke 7:11-35

A Widow's Son

11 Soon Jesus and his disciples were on their way to the town of Nain, and a big crowd was going along with them. 12 As they came near the gate of the town, they saw people carrying out the body of a widow's only son. Many people from the town were walking along with her.

13 When the Lord saw the woman, he felt sorry for her and said, “Don't cry!”

14 Jesus went over and touched the stretcher on which the people were carrying the dead boy. They stopped, and Jesus said, “Young man, get up!” 15 The boy sat up and began to speak. Jesus then gave him back to his mother.

16 Everyone was frightened and praised God. They said, “A great prophet is here with us! God has come to his people.”

17 News about Jesus spread all over Judea and everywhere else in that part of the country.

John the Baptist

(Matthew 11.1-19)

18-19 John's followers told John everything that was being said about Jesus. So he sent two of them to ask the Lord, “Are you the one we should be looking for? Or must we wait for someone else?”

20 When these messengers came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are you the one we should be looking for? Or are we supposed to wait for someone else?’ ”

21 At that time Jesus was healing many people who were sick or in pain or were troubled by evil spirits, and he was giving sight to a lot of blind people. 22 (A) Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy[a] are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. 23 God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do.”

24 After John's messengers had gone, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John:

What kind of person did you go out to the desert to see? Was he like tall grass blown about by the wind? 25 What kind of man did you really go out to see? Was he someone dressed in fine clothes? People who wear expensive clothes and live in luxury are in the king's palace. 26 What then did you go out to see? Was he a prophet? He certainly was! I tell you that he was more than a prophet. 27 (B) In the Scriptures, God calls John his messenger and says, “I am sending my messenger ahead of you to get things ready for you.” 28 No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.

29 (C) Everyone had been listening to John. Even the tax collectors[b] had obeyed God and had done what was right by letting John baptize them. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the Law of Moses refused to obey God and be baptized by John.

31 Jesus went on to say:

What are you people like? What kind of people are you? 32 You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other,

“We played the flute,
    but you would not dance!
We sang a funeral song,
    but you would not cry!”

33 John the Baptist did not go around eating and drinking, and you said, “John has a demon in him!” 34 But because the Son of Man goes around eating and drinking, you say, “Jesus eats and drinks too much! He is even a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” 35 Yet Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do.

Psalm 68:19-35

19 We praise you, Lord God!
You treat us with kindness
    day after day,
    and you rescue us.
20 You always protect us
    and save us from death.

21 Our Lord and our God,
your terrible enemies
    are ready for war,[a]
but you will crush
    their skulls.
22 You promised to bring them
from Bashan
    and from the deepest sea.
23 Then we could wash our feet
    in their blood,
and our dogs could chew
    on their bones.

24 We have seen crowds marching
to your place of worship,
    our God and King.
25 Singers come first,
    and then the musicians,
surrounded by young women
    playing tambourines.
26 They come shouting,
“People of Israel,
    praise the Lord God!”
27 The small tribe of Benjamin
    leads the way,
followed by the leaders
    from Judah.
Then come the leaders
    from Zebulun and Naphtali.

28 Our God, show your strength!
    Show us once again.
29 Then kings will bring gifts
to your temple
    in Jerusalem.[b]

30 Punish that animal
    that lives in the swamp![c]
Punish that nation
whose leaders and people
    are like wild bulls.
Make them come crawling
    with gifts of silver.
Scatter those nations
    that enjoy making war.[d]
31 Force the Egyptians to bring
    gifts of bronze;
make the Ethiopians[e] hurry
    to offer presents.[f]

32 Now sing praises to God!
Every kingdom on earth,
    sing to the Lord!
33 Praise the one who rides
    across the ancient skies;
listen as he speaks
    with a mighty voice.

34 Tell about God's power!
He is honored in Israel,
    and he rules the skies.
35 The God of Israel is fearsome
    in his temple,
and he makes us strong.
    Let's praise our God!

Proverbs 11:29-31

29 Fools who cause trouble
in the family
    won't inherit a thing.
They will end up as slaves
    of someone with good sense.
30 Live right, and you will eat
    from the life-giving tree.
And if you act wisely,
    others will follow.[a]
31 (A) If good people are rewarded[b]
    here on this earth,
all who are cruel and mean
    will surely be punished.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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