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Exodus 20
New International Reader's Version
Exodus 20
New International Reader's Version
God Gives His People the Ten Commandments
20 Here are all the words God spoke. He said,
2 “I am the Lord your God. I brought you out of Egypt. That is the land where you were slaves.
3 “Do not put any other gods in place of me.
4 “Do not make for yourself statues of gods that look like anything in the sky. They may not look like anything on the earth or in the waters either. 5 Do not bow down to them or worship them. I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I cause the sins of the parents to affect their children. I will cause the sins of those who hate me to affect even their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 6 But for all time to come I show love to all those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will find guilty anyone who misuses his name.
8 “Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy. 9 Do all your work in six days. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to honor the Lord your God. Do not do any work on that day. The same command applies to your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and your animals. It also applies to any outsiders who live in your towns. 11 In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them. But he rested on the seventh day. So the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “Do not murder.
14 “Do not commit adultery.
15 “Do not steal.
16 “Do not be a false witness against your neighbor.
17 “Do not want to have anything your neighbor owns. Do not want to have your neighbor’s house, wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey.”
18 The people saw the thunder and lightning. They heard the trumpet. They saw the mountain covered with smoke. They trembled with fear and stayed a long way off. 19 They said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself. Then we’ll listen. But don’t let God speak to us. If he does, we’ll die.”
20 Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. God has come to test you. He wants you to have respect for him. That will keep you from sinning.”
21 Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. But the people remained a long way off.
Worship the Lord
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Here is what you must tell the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘You have seen for yourselves what I said to you from heaven. 23 Do not put any other gods in place of me. Do not make silver or gold statues of them for yourselves.
24 “ ‘Make an altar out of dirt for me. Sacrifice your burnt offerings and friendship offerings on it. Sacrifice your sheep, goats and cattle on it. I will come to you and bless you everywhere I cause my name to be honored. 25 If you make an altar out of stones to honor me, do not build it with blocks of stone. You will make it “unclean” if you use a tool on it. 26 Do not walk up steps to my altar. If you do, someone might see your naked body under your robes.’
Exodus 20
New International Version
Exodus 20
New International Version
The Ten Commandments(A)
20 And God spoke(B) all these words:(C)
2 “I am the Lord your God,(D) who brought you out(E) of Egypt,(F) out of the land of slavery.(G)
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.(H)
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image(I) in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship(J) them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,(K) punishing the children for the sin of the parents(L) to the third and fourth generation(M) of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand(N) generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.(O)
8 “Remember the Sabbath(P) day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,(Q) 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath(R) to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth,(S) the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested(T) on the seventh day.(U) Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother,(V) so that you may live long(W) in the land(X) the Lord your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.(Y)
14 “You shall not commit adultery.(Z)
15 “You shall not steal.(AA)
16 “You shall not give false testimony(AB) against your neighbor.(AC)
17 “You shall not covet(AD) your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet(AE) and saw the mountain in smoke,(AF) they trembled with fear.(AG) They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak(AH) to us or we will die.”(AI)
20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.(AJ) God has come to test(AK) you, so that the fear(AL) of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”(AM)
21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness(AN) where God was.
Idols and Altars
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:(AO) 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me;(AP) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.(AQ)
24 “‘Make an altar(AR) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings(AS) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name(AT) to be honored, I will come to you and bless(AU) you. 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool(AV) on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts(AW) may be exposed.’
Footnotes
- Exodus 20:3 Or besides
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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