Exodus
20:1–26
The Ten
Commandments
Then God spoke all these words:
“I am the LORD your God, who brought
you out of slavery in Egypt.“Never have any other god. Never make your own
carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth,
or in the water. Never worship them or serve them, because I, the LORD your
God, am a God who does not tolerate rivals. I punish children for their
parents’ sins to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. But I
show mercy to thousands of generations of those who love me and obey my
commandments.
“Never use the name of the LORD your
God carelessly. The LORD will make sure that anyone who carelessly uses his name
will be punished.
“Remember the day of worship by
observing it as a holy day. You have six days to do all your work. The seventh
day is the day of worship dedicated to the LORD your God. You, your sons, your
daughters, your male and female slaves,your cattle, and the foreigners living
in your city must never do any work on that day. In six days the LORD made
heaven, earth, and the sea, along with everything in them. He didn't work on
the seventh day. That’s why the LORD blessed the day he stopped his work and
set this day apart as holy.
“Honor your father and your mother,
so that you may live for a long time in the land the LORD your God is giving
you.
“Never murder.
“Never commit adultery.
“Never steal.
“Never lie when you testify about
your neighbor.
“Never desire to take your
neighbor’s household away from him.
“Never desire to take your
neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox,
his
donkey, or anything else that belongs to him.”
The
People’s Reaction
All the people heard the thunder and
saw the lightning. They heard the blast of the ram’s horn and saw the mountain
covered with smoke. So they shook with fear and stood at a distance. Then they
said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we’ll listen. But don’t let God speak to
us, or we’ll die!”
Moses answered the people, “Don’t be
afraid! God has come only to test you, so that you will be in awe of him and
won’t sin.” The people kept their distance while Moses went closer to the dark
cloud where God was.
General
Rules for Worship
The LORD said to Moses, “This is
what you must say to the Israelites: You've seen for yourselves that I have
spoken to you from heaven. Never make any gods of silver or gold for
yourselves. Never worship them.
“You must build an altar for me made
out of dirt. Sacrifice your burnt offerings and your fellowship offerings, your
sheep, goats, and cattle on it.Wherever I choose to have my name remembered, I
will come to you and bless you. If you build an altar for me made out of
stones, never make it with cut stone blocks. If you use a chisel on it, you
will make it unacceptable to me.
Never
use stairs to go up to my altar. Otherwise, people will be able to see under
your clothes.” (GWT)
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This reading is taken from 30
Scripture Readings on Getting to Know God. The complete book can be found
here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZK5HAK/ref=nosim?tag=hudsonbcom-20&linkCode=sb1&camp=212353&creative=380549
God’s Word® Translation. Copyright © 1995 by God’s Word to
the Nations. Published by Baker Book House. Used by permission.
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