Deuteronomy 13
All 18 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.
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- 1If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
- 2and that sign or miracle actually happens — but then he says, "Come, let's follow other gods you've never known and worship them" —
- 3don't listen to that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you truly love the LORD your God with all your heart and all your soul.
- 4Follow the LORD your God alone. Fear him, keep his commandments, obey his voice, serve him, and hold tightly to him.
- 5That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he tried to turn you away from the LORD your God — the one who brought you out of Egypt and rescued you from slavery. He was trying to drag you off the path the LORD your God commanded you to walk. You must purge this evil from among you.
- 6If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son, your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and serve other gods," which neither you nor your fathers have known;
- 7that is, gods of the peoples around you, whether near to you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth —
- 8don't give in to him. Don't listen to him. Don't feel sorry for him, don't spare him, and don't cover for him.
- 9You must put him to death. Your own hand must strike first, and then the rest of the people will follow.
- 10Stone him to death, because he tried to pull you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of slavery.
- 11Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one among you will ever do something this wicked again.
- 12If you hear a report about one of the cities the LORD your God has given you to live in —
- 13that certain worthless troublemakers from among you have led the people of their city astray, saying, "Let's go worship other gods" — gods you've never known —
- 14then you must investigate thoroughly. Question people carefully. If it turns out to be true — if this disgusting thing really happened among you —
- 15you must put every person in that city to the sword. Destroy the entire city completely — everyone in it and even the livestock.
- 16Pile all the plunder in the middle of the city square and burn the whole city and everything in it as an offering to the LORD your God. It must remain a permanent ruin, never to be rebuilt.
- 17Don't keep any of the things set apart for destruction. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger and show you mercy. He will have compassion on you and increase your numbers, just as he promised your ancestors —
- 18as long as you listen to the LORD your God, keeping all his commandments that I'm giving you today, and doing what the LORD your God considers right.