New International Version NIV
New International Reader's Version NIRV
1 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder,
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Suppose a prophet appears among you. Or someone comes who uses dreams to tell what's going to happen. He tells you that a miraculous sign or wonder is going to take place.
2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,”
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The sign or wonder he has spoken about might really take place. And he might say, "Let's follow other gods. Let's worship them." But you haven't known anything about those gods before.
3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
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So you must not listen to what that prophet or dreamer has said. The LORD your God is putting you to the test. He wants to know whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
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You must follow him. You must have respect for him. Keep his commands. Obey him. Serve him. Remain true to him.
5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.
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That prophet or dreamer must be put to death. He told you not to obey the LORD your God. The LORD brought you out of Egypt. He set you free from the land where you were slaves. He commanded you to live the way he wants you to. But that prophet or dreamer has tried to make you turn away from it. Get rid of that evil person.
6 If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known,
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Suppose your very own brother or sister secretly tempts you to do something wrong. Or your child or the wife you love tempts you. Or your closest friend does it. Suppose one of them says, "Let's go and worship other gods." But you and your people long ago hadn't known anything about those gods before.
7 gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other),
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They are the gods of the nations that are around you. Those nations might be near or far away. In fact, they might reach from one end of the land to the other.
8 do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them.
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Don't give in to those who are tempting you. Don't listen to them. Don't feel sorry for them. Don't spare them or save them.
9 You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people.
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You must certainly put them to death. You must be the first to throw stones at them. Then all of the people must do the same thing.
10 Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
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Put them to death by throwing stones at them. They tried to turn you away from the LORD your God. He brought you out of Egypt. That's the land where you were slaves.
11 Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.
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After you kill those who tempted you, all of the people of Israel will hear about it. And they will be too scared to do an evil thing like that again.
12 If you hear it said about one of the towns the LORD your God is giving you to live in
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The LORD your God is giving you towns to live in. But suppose you hear something bad about one of those towns.
13 that troublemakers have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known),
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You hear that evil men have appeared among you. They've tried to get the people of their town to do something wrong. They've said, "Let's go and worship other gods." But you haven't known anything about those gods before.
14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you,
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So you must question people. You must check the matter out carefully. If it's true, an evil thing has really happened among you. It's something the LORD hates.
15 you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely, both its people and its livestock.
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Then you must certainly kill with your swords everyone who lives in that town. Destroy it completely. Wipe out its people and livestock.
16 You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. That town is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt,
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Gather all of the goods of that town into the middle of the main street. Burn the town completely. Burn up everything in it. It's a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God. The town must remain a pile of stones forever. It must never be built again.
17 and none of the condemned things are to be found in your hands. Then the LORD will turn from his fierce anger, will show you mercy, and will have compassion on you. He will increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your ancestors—
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Don't keep anything that should be destroyed. Then the LORD will turn away from his burning anger. He will show you mercy. He'll have deep concern for you. He'll increase your numbers. That's what he promised your people long ago. He took an oath when he made the promise.
18 because you obey the LORD your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.
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The LORD your God will do those things if you obey him. I'm giving you his commands today. And you must obey all of them. You must do what is right in his eyes.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.