Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 At that time the LORD told me: Carve two stone tablets, just like the first ones, and hike up the mountain to me. Construct a wooden chest as well.
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God responded. He said, "Shape two slabs of stone similar to the first ones. Climb the mountain and meet me. Also make yourself a wooden chest.
2 I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets—the ones you smashed—then you will place them in the chest.
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I will engrave the stone slabs with the words that were on the first ones, the ones you smashed. Then you will put them in the Chest."
3 So I built a chest out of acacia wood and carved two stone tablets just like the first ones. Then I hiked up the mountain holding the two tablets in my hands.
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So I made a chest out of acacia wood, shaped two slabs of stone, just like the first ones, and climbed the mountain with the two slabs in my arms.
4 God wrote on the new tablets what had been written on the first set: the Ten Commandments that the LORD spoke to you on the mountain, from the very fire itself, on the day we assembled there. Then the LORD gave them to me.
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He engraved the stone slabs the same as he had the first ones, the Ten Words that he addressed to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly. Then God gave them to me.
5 So I came back down the mountain. I put the tablets in the chest that I'd made, and that's where they are now, exactly as the LORD commanded me.
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I turned around and came down the mountain. I put the stone slabs in the Chest that I made and they've been there ever since, just as God commanded me.
6 (Now, the Israelites had set out from Beeroth-bene-jaakan to Moserah. It was there that Aaron died and was buried. His son Eleazar succeeded him in the priestly role.
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The People of Israel went from the wells of the Jaakanites to Moserah. Aaron died there and was buried. His son Eleazar succeeded him as priest.
7 From there the Israelites traveled to Gudgodah, then from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, which is a land with flowing streams.
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From there they went to Gudgodah, and then to Jotbathah, a land of streams of water.
8 At that time, the LORD selected the tribe of Levi to carry the chest containing the LORD's covenant, to minister before the LORD, to serve him, and to offer blessings in his name. That's the way things are right now.
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That's when God set apart the tribe of Levi to carry God's Covenant Chest, to be on duty in the Presence of God, to serve him, and to bless in his name, as they continue to do today.
9 That's why the Levites don't have a stake or inheritance with the rest of their relatives. The LORD is the Levites' inheritance, just as the LORD your God promised them.)
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And that's why Levites don't have a piece of inherited land as their kinsmen do. God is their inheritance, as God, your God, promised them.
10 Just as the first time, I remained on the mountain forty days and nights. And the LORD listened to me again in this instance. The LORD wasn't willing to destroy you.
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I stayed there on the mountain forty days and nights, just as I did the first time. And God listened to me, just as he did the first time: God decided not to destroy you.
11 Then the LORD told me: Get going. Lead the people so they can enter and take possession of the land that I promised I'd give to their ancestors.
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God told me, "Now get going. Lead your people as they resume the journey to take possession of the land that I promised their ancestors that I'd give to them."
12 Now in light of all that, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you? Only this: to revere the LORD your God by walking in all his ways, by loving him, by serving the LORD your God with all your heart and being,
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So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you,
13 and by keeping the LORD's commandments and his regulations that I'm commanding you right now. It's for your own good!
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obey the commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today - live a good life.
14 Clearly, the LORD owns the sky, the highest heavens, the earth, and everything in it.
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Look around you: Everything you see is God's - the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it.
15 But the LORD adored your ancestors, loving them and choosing the descendants that followed them—you!—from all other people. That's how things still stand now.
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But it was your ancestors that God fell in love with; he picked their children - that's you! - out of all the other peoples. That's where we are right now.
16 So circumcise your hearts and stop being so stubborn,
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So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded.
17 because the LORD your God is the God of all gods and Lord of all lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who doesn't play favorites and doesn't take bribes.
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God, your God, is the God of all gods, he's the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn't play favorites, takes no bribes,
18 He enacts justice for orphans and widows, and he loves immigrants, giving them food and clothing.
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makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing.
19 That means you must also love immigrants because you were immigrants in Egypt.
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You must treat foreigners with the same loving care - remember, you were once foreigners in Egypt.
20 Revere the LORD your God, serve him, cling to him, swear by his name alone!
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Reverently respect God, your God, serve him, hold tight to him, back up your promises with the authority of his name.
21 He is your praise, and he is your God—the one who performed these great and awesome acts that you witnessed with your very own eyes.
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He's your praise! He's your God! He did all these tremendous, these staggering things that you saw with your own eyes.
22 Your ancestors went down to Egypt with a total of seventy people, but now look! The LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the nighttime sky!
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When your ancestors entered Egypt, they numbered a mere seventy souls. And now look at you - you look more like the stars in the night skies in number. And your God did it.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.