Êxodo 20

The Ten Commandments

1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,

2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of *20:2 Lit slavesslavery.

3 "You shall have no other gods *20:3 Or besides Mebefore Me.

4 "You shall not make for yourself *20:4 Or a carved imagean idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the *20:5 I.e., punishment for the wrongdoingpunishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing *20:6 Or faithfulnessfavor to thousands, to 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 *20:7 Or hold him guiltlessleave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 For six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male slave or your female slave, or your cattle, or your *20:10 Lit strangerresident who *20:10 Lit is in your gatesstays with you. 11 For 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 "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you.

13 "You shall not murder.

14 "You shall not commit adultery.

15 "You shall not steal.

16 "You shall not *20:16 Lit answer as a false witness againstgive false testimony against your neighbor.

17 "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you 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."

18 And all the people were watching and hearing the *20:18 Lit soundsthunder 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. 19 Then they said to Moses, "Speak *20:19 Lit withto us yourself and we will listen; but do not have God speak *20:19 Lit withto us, or we will die!" 20 However, Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may *20:20 Lit be beforeremain with you, so that you will not sin." 21 So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

22 Then the Lord said to Moses, "This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken *20:22 Lit withto you from heaven. 23 You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. 24 You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall 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. 25 And if you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you wield your chisel on it, you will profane it. 26 And you shall not go up by steps to My altar, so that your nakedness will not be exposed on it.’