Exodus 20

The Ten Commandments

1Then God spoke all these words, saying,

2“1I am the Lord your God, 2who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of 3slavery.

3“4You shall have no other 5gods 6before Me.

4“7You shall not make for yourself 8an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. 59You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a 10jealous God, 11inflicting the 12punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6but showing 13favor to 14thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

7“15You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not 16leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

8“Remember 17the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 918For six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it 19you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your cattle, or your 20resident who 21stays with you. 1122For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested on the seventh day; for that reason the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12“23Honor your father and your mother, so that your 24days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you.

13“25You shall not murder.

14“26You shall not commit adultery.

15“27You shall not steal.

16“28You shall not 29give false testimony against your 30neighbor.

17“31You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; 32you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male slave, or his female slave, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

18And 33all the people were watching and hearing the 34thunder and the lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it all, they trembled and stood at a distance. 1935Then they said to Moses, “Speak 36to us yourself and we will listen; but do not have God speak 37to us, or we will die!” 20However, Moses said to the people, “38Do not be afraid; for God has come in order 39to test you, and in order that 40the fear of Him may 41remain with you, so that you will not sin.” 21So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached 42the thick darkness where God was.

22Then the Lord said to Moses, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that 43I have spoken 44to you from heaven. 2345You shall not make other gods besides Me; 46gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. 24You shall make 47an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your 48burnt offerings and your 49peace offerings, 50your sheep and your oxen; in every place 51where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you. 25And if you make an altar of stone for Me, 52you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your chisel on it, you will profane it. 26And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that 53your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’