1 Moses called all the people of Israel, and said: »Hear, O Israel, the regulations and laws I declare to you today. Learn them and obey them!

2 »Jehovah our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.

3 »Jehovah did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, all of us here alive today.

4 »Jehovah talked with you face to face on the mountain out of the middle of the fire,

5 »I stood between Jehovah and you at that time, to declare to you the word of Jehovah. You were afraid because of the fire. So you would not go up onto the mountain. He said:

6 »‘I am Jehovah your God. I brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

7 »‘Do not have any other god but me.

8 »‘Do not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above, or on the earth below, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

9 »‘Do not bow down to them. Do not serve them! For I Jehovah your God am a totally demanding zealous God. I require exclusive devotion and punish the fathers and children who hate me to the third and fourth generation.

10 »‘I show loving kindness to thousands of generations who love me and obey my commandments.

11 »‘Do not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain. Jehovah will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain.

12 »‘Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it keep it holy, as Jehovah your God has commanded you.

13 »‘Do all your work in six days.

14 »‘The seventh day is the Sabbath of Jehovah your God: in it you should not do any work. Your son and daughter should not work. Your manservant and maidservant should not work. Your ox, donkey, cattle or any stranger living with you should not work. Your manservant and maidservant should rest as much as you do.

15 »‘Remember that you were servants in the land of Egypt, and that Jehovah your God brought you out through a mighty act. Jehovah your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16 »‘Honor your father and your mother, as Jehovah your God commands you and your days will be prolonged and things will go well with you, in the land Jehovah gives you.

17 »‘Do not kill.

18 »‘Do not commit adultery.

19 »‘Do not steal.

20 »‘Do not bear false witness against another man.

21 »‘Do not desire another man's wife; do not covet another man's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his donkey, or any thing that belongs to him.’

22 »Jehovah spoke to us when we gathered on the mountain. He spoke with a loud voice from the dark fiery cloud. Jehovah gave us these words, and only these. Then he wrote them on two flat tablets of stone and gave them to me.

23 »Fire blazed from the mountain, and you heard the voice coming from the darkness. Then your elders came to me.

24 »They said: ‘Today Jehovah our God has shown us how powerful and glorious he is. He spoke to us from the fire. We learned that people could live, even though God speaks to them.

25 »‘We do not want to take a chance on being killed by that terrible fire. If we hear Jehovah’s voice again we will die.

26 »‘Has any other human ever heard the only true God speaking from fire, as we have? And if they have, would they live to tell about it?

27 »‘They spoke to Moses: ‘Moses, go and listen to everything that Jehovah our God says. Then tell us whatever Jehovah our God tells you. We will listen and obey.’

28 »Jehovah heard the words you spoke to me. He told me: ‘I have heard what the people said to you. Everything they said was good.

29 If only they had such a heart in them that they would respect reverence me and obey all my commandments for as long as they live! Then things would go well for them and their children from generation to generation.’

30 Jehovah continued: »Tell the people to go back to their tents.«

31 But you stay here with me. I will give you all the commands, laws, and rules that you must teach them to obey in the land I will give them to possess.

32 Be careful to do what Jehovah your God has commanded you. Never turn to the right or to the left.

33 Follow all the directions Jehovah your God has given you. Then you will continue to live. Life will go well for you! You will live for a long time in the land that you are going to possess.