God spoke all these words:
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
The Ten Commandments of the Lord our God
- 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
- 4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters under the earth. 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 fathers to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing love to thousands 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 the Sabbath of the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male servant or female servant, nor your animals, nor the foreigner within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; then 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 your life may be 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 manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.”
The Terror of the Israelites
18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and the flashes of lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain engulfed in smoke, they were terrified and trembled with fear, and they stood far off. 19 And they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us, or we will die.”
20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be upon you to keep you from sinning.” 21 The people remained standing at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
The Law of the Altar
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside Me; gods of silver or gods of gold.
24 “You need only make an altar of earth for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, and your cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stone for Me, you must not build it with cut stones, for if you use a tool on it you will defile it. 26 And you must not go up to My altar on steps, so that your nakedness may not be exposed on it’.”
