20:1 The LORD told Moses |
20:2 to say to the community of Israel: Death by stoning is the penalty for any citizens or foreigners in the country who sacrifice their children to the god Molech. |
20:3 They have disgraced both the place where I am worshiped and my holy name, and so I will turn against them and no longer let them belong to my people. |
20:4 Some of you may let them get away with human sacrifice, |
20:5 but not me. If any of you worship Molech, I will turn against you and your entire family, and I will no longer let you belong to my people. |
20:6 I will be your enemy if you go to someone who claims to speak with the dead, and I will destroy you from among my people. |
20:7 Dedicate yourselves to me and be holy because I am the LORD your God. |
20:8 I have chosen you as my people, and I expect you to obey my laws. |
20:9 If you curse your father or mother, you will be put to death, and it will be your own fault. |
20:10 If any of you men have sex with another man's wife, both you and the woman will be put to death. |
20:11 Having sex with one of your father's wives disgraces him. So both you and the woman will be put to death, just as you deserve. |
20:12 It isn't natural to have sex with your daughter-in-law, and both of you will be put to death, just as you deserve. |
20:13 It's disgusting for men to have sex with one another, and those who do will be put to death, just as they deserve. |
20:14 It isn't natural for a man to marry both a mother and her daughter, and so all three of them will be burned to death. |
20:15 If any of you have sex with an animal, both you and the animal will be put to death, just as you deserve. |
20:16 (SEE 20:15) |
20:17 If you marry one of your sisters, you will be punished, and the two of you will be disgraced by being openly forced out of the community. |
20:18 If you have sex with a woman during her monthly period, both you and the woman will be cut off from the people of Israel. |
20:19 The sisters of your father and mother are your own relatives, and you will be punished for having sex with any of them. |
20:20 If you have sex with your uncle's wife, neither you nor she will ever have any children. |
20:21 And if you marry your sister-in-law, neither of you will ever have any children. |
20:22 Obey my laws and teachings. Or else the land I am giving you will become sick of you and throw you out. |
20:23 The nations I am chasing out did these disgusting things, and I hated them for it, so don't follow their example. |
20:24 I am the LORD your God, and I have promised you their land that is rich with milk and honey. I have chosen you to be different from other people. |
20:25 That's why you must make a difference between animals and birds that I have said are clean and unclean --this will keep you from becoming disgusting to me. |
20:26 I am the LORD, the holy God. You have been chosen to be my people, and so you must be holy too. |
20:27 If you claim to receive messages from the dead, you will be put to death by stoning, just as you deserve. |