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Exodus 20

English Standard Version



1 And God spoke all these words, saying, (De 5:6; De 5:22) 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (Le 26:13; Ps 81:10; Ho 13:4) 3 “You shall have no other gods before[1] me. (2Ki 17:35; Jer 25:6; Jer 35:15) 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. (Le 26:1; De 27:15; Ps 97:7; Ac 17:29) 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, (Ex 23:24; Ex 34:7; Ex 34:14; Nu 14:18; De 4:24; De 6:15; Jos 23:7; Jos 24:19; Ps 79:8; Ps 109:14; Isa 65:6; Jer 32:18; Na 1:2) 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[2] of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Le 19:12; Mt 5:34; Jas 5:12) 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Ex 31:13; Le 19:3; Le 19:30; Le 26:2) 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, (Ex 23:12; Ex 34:21; Ex 35:2; Le 23:3; Lu 13:14) 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. (Ge 2:2; Ex 16:26; Ex 31:15; Nu 15:32; Ne 13:16; Eze 20:12) 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Ge 1:1) 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. (Le 19:3; Jer 35:18; Mt 15:4; Mt 19:19; Mr 7:10; Mr 10:19; Lu 18:20; Eph 6:2; Eph 6:3) 13 “You shall not murder.[3] (Ge 9:5; Mt 5:21; Mt 19:18; Ro 13:9; 1Jo 3:15) 14 “You shall not commit adultery. (Le 18:20; De 22:22; Pr 6:32; Mt 5:27; Ro 13:9; 1Co 6:9; Heb 13:4) 15 “You shall not steal. (Le 19:11; Mt 19:18; Ro 13:9; Eph 4:28) 16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Ex 23:1; De 19:16; Pr 19:5; Pr 19:9; Pr 21:28; Pr 24:28; Pr 25:18; Mt 19:18) 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Jer 5:8; Mic 2:2; Mt 5:28; Lu 12:15; Ro 7:7; Ro 13:9; Eph 5:3; Eph 5:5; Col 3:5; Heb 13:5) 18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid[4] and trembled, and they stood far off (Heb 12:18) 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” (De 5:25; De 5:27; De 18:16; Ga 3:19; Heb 12:19) 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” (Ge 22:1; De 13:3; 1Sa 12:20) 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. (De 4:11; 2Sa 22:10; 1Ki 8:12; Ps 18:9; Ps 97:2) 



22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. (De 4:36; Ne 9:13; Heb 12:25) 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. (Ex 32:31; 2Ki 17:33; Eze 20:39; Zep 1:5) 24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. (De 7:13; De 12:5; De 12:11; De 14:23; De 16:6; De 16:11; De 26:2; 1Ki 8:29; 1Ki 9:3; 2Ch 6:6; 2Ch 7:16; 2Ch 12:13; Ezr 6:12; Ne 1:9; Ps 74:7; Jer 7:10; Jer 7:12) 25 If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. (De 27:5; Jos 8:31; 1Ki 5:17; 1Ch 22:2) 26 And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’ 

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Exodus 20

New International Version



1 And God spoke all these words: 2 ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 ‘You shall have no other gods before[1] me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an image 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 them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand 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. 8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labour and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath 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, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour. 17 You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.’ 18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not let God speak to us or we will die.’ 20 Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’ 21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. 



22 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell the Israelites this: “You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. 24 ‘ “Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honoured, I will come to you and bless 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 on it. 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.” 

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