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Exodus 20

God spoke all these words: 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.' 'You must have no other gods before me.' 'You must not make for yourself any carved idol, or any likeness of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.'

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The Ten Words

God spoke all these words: 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.' 'You must have no other gods before me.' 'You must not make for yourself any carved idol, or any likeness of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.' 'You must not bow down to them or serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the wrongdoing of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,' 'and showing mercy to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.' 'You must not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain.' 'Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.' 'Six days you will labour and do all your work,' 'but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God. On it you must do no work — you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your livestock, or the foreigner living in your towns.' 'For in six days the Lord made heaven, earth and sea, and everything in them, and rested the seventh day. So the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.' 'Honour your father and your mother, so your days may be long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.' 'You must not kill.' 'You must not commit adultery.' 'You must not steal.' 'You must not bear false witness against your neighbour.' You must not desire your neighbour's house. You must not desire your neighbour's wife, his male servant, female servant, ox, donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.'

And God spoke all these words: I'm the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. You won't have any other gods in front of me. You won't make yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything in heaven above or in the earth below or in the water under the earth. You won't bow down to them or serve them. Because I the Lord your God am a jealous God, dealing with the wrongdoing of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of the ones who hate me, and showing mercy to thousands of the ones who love me and keep my orders. You won't take the name of the Lord your God for nothing. Because the Lord won't hold the one guiltless who takes his name for nothing. Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you'll work and do all your work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God. You won't do any work in it — you or your son or your daughter, your servant or your servant woman or your cattle, or your stranger inside your gates. Because in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them, and rested the seventh day. That's why the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. Honour your father and your mother, so your days can be long on the land the Lord your God is giving you. You won't kill. You won't break your marriage. You won't steal. You won't give false witness against your neighbour. You won't want your neighbour's house. You won't want your neighbour's wife, or his servant or his servant woman, or his ox or his donkey, or anything that's your neighbour's.

And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

1

God spoke all these words:

Plain English

And God spoke all these words:

King James Version, 1611

And God spake all these words, saying,

2

'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.'

Plain English

I'm the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves.

King James Version, 1611

I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3

'You must have no other gods before me.'

Plain English

You won't have any other gods in front of me.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4

'You must not make for yourself any carved idol, or any likeness of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.'

Plain English

You won't make yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything in heaven above or in the earth below or in the water under the earth.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

5

'You must not bow down to them or serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the wrongdoing of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,'

Plain English

You won't bow down to them or serve them. Because I the Lord your God am a jealous God, dealing with the wrongdoing of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of the ones who hate me,

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6

'and showing mercy to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.'

Plain English

and showing mercy to thousands of the ones who love me and keep my orders.

King James Version, 1611

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7

'You must not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain.'

Plain English

You won't take the name of the Lord your God for nothing. Because the Lord won't hold the one guiltless who takes his name for nothing.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8

'Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.'

Plain English

Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.

King James Version, 1611

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9

'Six days you will labour and do all your work,'

Plain English

Six days you'll work and do all your work.

King James Version, 1611

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10

'but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God. On it you must do no work — you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, your livestock, or the foreigner living in your towns.'

Plain English

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God. You won't do any work in it — you or your son or your daughter, your servant or your servant woman or your cattle, or your stranger inside your gates.

King James Version, 1611

But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11

'For in six days the Lord made heaven, earth and sea, and everything in them, and rested the seventh day. So the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.'

Plain English

Because in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them, and rested the seventh day. That's why the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

King James Version, 1611

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12

'Honour your father and your mother, so your days may be long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.'

Plain English

Honour your father and your mother, so your days can be long on the land the Lord your God is giving you.

King James Version, 1611

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

13

'You must not kill.'

Plain English

You won't kill.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not kill.

14

'You must not commit adultery.'

Plain English

You won't break your marriage.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15

'You must not steal.'

Plain English

You won't steal.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not steal.

16

'You must not bear false witness against your neighbour.'

Plain English

You won't give false witness against your neighbour.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17

You must not desire your neighbour's house. You must not desire your neighbour's wife, his male servant, female servant, ox, donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.'

Plain English

You won't want your neighbour's house. You won't want your neighbour's wife, or his servant or his servant woman, or his ox or his donkey, or anything that's your neighbour's.

King James Version, 1611

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

The people stand a long way off

All the people saw the thunder, lightning, trumpet blast and mountain smoking. When they saw it, they backed away and stood at a distance. They told Moses, 'You speak to us and we'll listen. But don't let God speak directly to us, or we'll die.' Moses said, 'Don't be afraid. God has come to test you, so the fear of him will remain before you and keep you from sinning.' The people stayed at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. The Lord said to Moses: This is what you'll say to the Israelites. You've seen that I've talked with you from heaven. You won't make gods of silver alongside me, and you won't make yourselves gods of gold. 'Make me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name, I will come to you and bless you.' 'If you make me an altar of stone, do not build it from cut stone, because using your tool on it profanes it.' You won't go up by steps to my altar, so your nakedness isn't uncovered on it.

And all the people saw the thunder and the lightning and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoking. And when the people saw it, they moved back and stood a long way off. And they said to Moses: You speak with us and we'll listen. But don't let God speak with us, or we'll die. And Moses said to the people: Don't be frightened. Because God has come to test you, and so his fear will be in front of you, so you don't sin. And the people stood a long way off, and Moses came near the thick darkness where God was. And the Lord said to Moses: This is what you'll say to the people of Israel. You've seen that I've talked with you from heaven. You won't make gods of silver alongside me, and you won't make yourselves gods of gold. You'll make me an altar of earth and sacrifice your burnt offerings on it, and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I make my name remembered, I'll come to you and bless you. And if you'll make me an altar of stone, you won't build it of cut stone. Because if you lift up your tool on it, you've made it common. And you won't go up by steps to my altar, so your nakedness isn't uncovered on it.

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

18

All the people saw the thunder, lightning, trumpet blast and mountain smoking. When they saw it, they backed away and stood at a distance.

Plain English

And all the people saw the thunder and the lightning and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoking. And when the people saw it, they moved back and stood a long way off.

King James Version, 1611

And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19

They told Moses, 'You speak to us and we'll listen. But don't let God speak directly to us, or we'll die.'

Plain English

And they said to Moses: You speak with us and we'll listen. But don't let God speak with us, or we'll die.

King James Version, 1611

And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20

Moses said, 'Don't be afraid. God has come to test you, so the fear of him will remain before you and keep you from sinning.'

Plain English

And Moses said to the people: Don't be frightened. Because God has come to test you, and so his fear will be in front of you, so you don't sin.

King James Version, 1611

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

21

The people stayed at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Plain English

And the people stood a long way off, and Moses came near the thick darkness where God was.

King James Version, 1611

And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

22

The Lord said to Moses: This is what you'll say to the Israelites. You've seen that I've talked with you from heaven.

Plain English

And the Lord said to Moses: This is what you'll say to the people of Israel. You've seen that I've talked with you from heaven.

King James Version, 1611

And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.

23

You won't make gods of silver alongside me, and you won't make yourselves gods of gold.

King James Version, 1611

Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

24

'Make me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name, I will come to you and bless you.'

Plain English

You'll make me an altar of earth and sacrifice your burnt offerings on it, and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I make my name remembered, I'll come to you and bless you.

King James Version, 1611

An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.

25

'If you make me an altar of stone, do not build it from cut stone, because using your tool on it profanes it.'

Plain English

And if you'll make me an altar of stone, you won't build it of cut stone. Because if you lift up your tool on it, you've made it common.

King James Version, 1611

And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

26

You won't go up by steps to my altar, so your nakedness isn't uncovered on it.

Plain English

And you won't go up by steps to my altar, so your nakedness isn't uncovered on it.

King James Version, 1611

Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.