Deuteronomy 13

1 If a prophet [or one who claims to speak for God] or dreamer of dreams [someone who has visions or receives messages in their sleep] arises among you [in your midst, as one of your own] and proclaims [declares, announces] a sign [a miracle, a wonder] or wonder [an extraordinary event, a marvel] to you [for you to see, to witness], word study 2 and if the sign [miraculous token, wonder] or wonder [special display of God’s power, miracle] he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow [go after, worship] other gods [foreign deities] (which you have not known) and let us worship [serve, pay homage to] them,” word study 3 you must not listen [give no attention, heed not] to the words [sayings, messages] of that prophet [one who speaks for God, dreamer of dreams] or dreamer [one who receives visions]. For the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] is testing [proving, trying] you to find out [know, ascertain] whether you love [have affection for, are devoted to] Him with all [your entire, whole] your heart [inner being, soul] and with all [your entire, whole] your soul [spirit, inner self]. word study 4 You are to follow [walk after, obey] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God] and fear [reverence, awe] Him. Keep [obey, heed] His commandments [instructions, laws] and listen [hear, obey] to His voice [words, teachings]; serve [worship, obey] Him and hold fast [cleave, be faithful] to Him. word study 5 Such a prophet [or false messenger] or dreamer [one who claims to have divine visions] must be put to death, because he has advocated [spoken in favor of, promoted] rebellion [apostasy, turning away] against the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt [a place of bondage and slavery] and redeemed [bought back, freed] you from the house of slavery [a prison-house of oppression]; he has tried to turn you from the way [the path, the journey] in which the LORD your God has commanded [given orders, instructed] you to walk [to live, to follow]. So you must purge [remove, eliminate] the evil [wickedness, sin] from among you. word study 6 If your very own brother [or sister, a close relative], or your son or daughter [a child of yours], or the wife [partner, spouse] you embrace [hold dear, love], or your closest friend [dear companion, confidant] secretly [in private, without others knowing] entices [tempts, persuades] you, saying, “Let us go and worship [bow down to, serve] other gods [foreign deities, idols]” (which neither you nor your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] have known [experienced, acknowledged], word study 7 the gods [deities, idols] of the peoples [nations, ethnic groups] around you, whether near [close by, neighboring] or far [distant, remote], whether from one end [extremity, boundary] of the earth [land, world] or the other [opposite, farthest end]), word study 8 you must not yield [give in, consent] to him or listen [hearken, obey] to him. Show him no pity [have no mercy, be unsparing], and do not spare [conceal, protect] him or shield [hide, cover] him. word study 9 Instead [on the contrary, but rather], you must surely [without fail, absolutely] kill him [put him to death, execute him]. Your hand [your own action, your initiative] must be the first [initial, primary] against him to put him to death [to execute him, to take his life], and then [afterwards, subsequently] the hands of all the people [the rest of the community, everyone else]. word study 10 Stone him to death [with stones, until he dies] for trying to turn you away [thrust thee away, lead astray] from the LORD [Yehovah] your God [the supreme Creator, Elohim], who brought you out of the land [country, territory] of Egypt [a place of bondage], out of the house [prison-house, place of slavery] of slavery [bondage, servitude]. word study 11 Then all Israel will hear [and be made aware, and understand] and be afraid [filled with fear, and deeply reverence], and will never again do [commit or practice] such a wicked thing [evil or sinful act, like this] among you [in your midst, or within your community]. word study 12 If, regarding one of the cities [which the Lord has ordained for you] the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] your God [the supreme Ruler and Savior] is giving you to inhabit [to dwell and settle], you hear [listen and obey] it said [a report or rumor, something spoken] word study 13 that wicked [evil, base] men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city [town, settlement] astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other [foreign, unknown] gods [previously unheard of]” (which you have not known), word study 14 then you must inquire [thoroughly, and make search], investigate [and ask diligently], and interrogate [to get to the truth] thoroughly. And if it is established with certainty [beyond doubt, as a confirmed fact] that this abomination [a disgusting, wicked thing] has been committed [done, carried out] among you [in your midst, as a part of your community], word study 15 you must surely put the inhabitants [residents, citizens] of that city to the sword [with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying]. Devote [give over, utterly destroy] to destruction [as a curse, completely] all its people [everyone in it, including men, women, and children] and livestock [animals, cattle]. word study 16 And you are to gather [collect and assemble] all its plunder [spoils, treasures] in the middle of the public square [city center, marketplace], and completely burn [utterly consume with fire] the city [town, settlement] and all its plunder [possessions, wealth] as a whole burnt offering [a complete sacrifice, utterly dedicated] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [the one true God, your sovereign]. The city [town, community] must remain [be left, stay] a mound of ruins [a heap of desolation, a permanent waste] forever [always, throughout all time], never [not at all, under no circumstances] to be rebuilt [restored, reestablished]. word study 17 Nothing [absolutely none, no part] devoted to destruction [set apart for God’s judgment, cursed] shall cling to your hands [remain in your possession, be found with you], so that the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will turn from His fierce anger [intense wrath, burning displeasure], grant you mercy [show compassion, be gracious to you], show you compassion [pity, loving kindness], and multiply you [increase your numbers, make you fruitful] as He swore to your fathers [promised your ancestors, made a covenant with them], word study 18 because you obey [hearken to, listen carefully to] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [the supreme Creator and Ruler], keeping [to guard, to watch over] all His commandments [divine instructions, laws] I am giving [to set, to put] you today [in this present time] and doing [to accomplish, to perform] what is right [just, upright] in the eyes [the presence, the sight] of the LORD [Yehovah, the all-seeing God] your God [the One who loves and cares for you]. word study