What to Do If Someone Tries to Lead You Astray |
Deuteronomy 13:1-18 Deuteronomy the Fifth Book of Moses |
If a prophet or a [person who tells] dreams [rises] among you & gives you a sign or a wonder & [they happen like he said] to you & [he says, Let’s] go after other gods, [that] you haven’t known & let’s serve them. |
You shall not [listen] to that prophet or [teller] of dreams: for the Lord your God [tests] you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart & all your soul. You shall [follow] after the Lord your God & fear [respect] Him & keep His commandments & obey His voice. |
You shall serve Him & [cling only to] Him. You shall put to death that prophet or [teller] of dreams, because he has spoken to [lead you astray] from the Lord your God. |
[He] brought you out of the land of Egypt & redeemed you [from] the house of bondage. [They are trying to turn] you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to walk, so you shall [remove] the evil from the midst of you. |
If your brother, your [mother’s] son, your son, your daughter, or the wife you [love,] or [your closest] friend, [who] is like your own soul, [tries to] entice you secretly, saying, [Let’s] go & serve other gods, [that] you nor your [forefathers haven’t] known, [especially] the gods the people [around] you, [either near or far,] from 1 end of the earth even to the other, you shall not [agree or listen] to him. |
You shall stone him [to death] & not have pity on him & spare him or [hide] him. Your hand shall be first upon him to put him to death & then the hands of the people [Israelites, because he tried to lead you astray] from the Lord your God [Who] brought you from bondage, out of the land of Egypt. |
All of Israel shall hear & [be afraid] & [shall no longer do] such wickedness as this among you. |
If you hear in 1 of your cities [that] the Lord your God has given you to live, saying [that wicked men have] gone out from among you & have [seduced the city’s] inhabitants, saying, [Let’s] go & serve other gods, [that] we haven’t known, then you shall search, inquire, & diligently ask if it is [certainly true] that [this] abomination [has been done] among you. |
You shall surely [strike] the [city’s] inhabitants with the edge of the sword, [totally] destroying all [in it, including its] cattle. |
You shall gather to the [middle] of the street, all [its plunder] & with fire burn it [along] with the city & it shall be a heap forever. It shall not be [rebuilt] again. |
Your [hands shall not cling to any] of the cursed [things to be burned, so] the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger & show you mercy & have compassion on you & multiply you like He [has] sworn to your [forefathers.] |
[This will happen if] you [listen] to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep all His commandments & do [what] is right in the eyes of the Lord your God, [that] I command you this day. |