Exodus - The Old Testament

¹ Then God spoke all these words. He said,

² 'I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you lived as slaves.

³ 'You shall have no other gods to rival me.

⁴ 'You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters under the earth.

⁵ 'You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God and I punish a parent's fault in the children, the grandchildren, and the great-grandchildren among those who hate me;

⁶ but I act with faithful love towards thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ 'You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who misuses his name.

⁸ 'Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

⁹ For six days you shall labour and do all your work,

¹⁰ but the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God. You shall do no work that day, neither you nor your son nor your daughter nor your servants, men or women, nor your animals nor the alien living with you.

¹¹ For in six days Yahweh made the heavens, earth and sea and all that these contain, but on the seventh day he rested; that is why Yahweh has blessed the Sabbath day and made it sacred.

¹² 'Honour your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.

¹³ 'You shall not kill.

¹⁴ 'You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ 'You shall not steal.

¹⁶ 'You shall not give false evidence against your neighbour.

¹⁷ 'You shall not set your heart on your neighbour's house. You shall not set your heart on your neighbour's spouse, or servant, man or woman, or ox, or donkey, or any of your neighbour's possessions.'

¹⁸ Seeing the thunder pealing, the lightning flashing, the trumpet blasting and the mountain smoking, the people were all terrified and kept their distance.

¹⁹ 'Speak to us yourself,' they said to Moses, 'and we will obey; but do not let God speak to us, or we shall die.'

²⁰ Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid; God has come to test you, so that your fear of him, being always in your mind, may keep you from sinning.'

²¹ So the people kept their distance while Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.

²² Yahweh said to Moses, 'Tell the Israelites this, "You have seen for yourselves how I have spoken to you from heaven.

²³ You must not make gods of silver to rival me, nor must you make yourselves gods of gold.

²⁴ "You must make me an altar of earth on which to sacrifice your burnt offerings and communion sacrifices, your sheep and cattle. Wherever I choose to have my name remembered, I shall come to you and bless you.

²⁵ If you make me an altar of stone, do not build it of dressed stones; for if you use a chisel on it, you will profane it.

²⁶ You must not go up to my altar by steps, in case you expose your nakedness on them." '