Exodus 20

God Speaks to Israel

1 Then God spoke to the people, laying down His laws.

The Ten Commandments

2 I am the Lord your God, the One who brought you out of Egypt, out of slavery.

3 ‘You are not going to have any other gods before Me.’

4 ‘Do not be making any statues, idols, or anything that looks like what is in heaven, on earth, or in the sea.’

5 ‘Do not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the Lord, am a jealous God. If you hate Me, I will punish your kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.’

6 ‘But if you love Me and follow My commands, I will bless your family for a thousand generations.’

7 ‘Do not be throwing My name around recklessly. I am not letting that slide.’

8 ‘Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.’

9 ‘You got six days to do all your work,’

10 ‘But on the seventh day, you rest. That is the Lord’s day. No work for you, your kids, your servants, your animals, or any foreigners staying with you.’

11 ‘Because in six days, I made the heavens, the earth, and the sea, then on the seventh day, I rested. So I blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.’

12 ‘Respect your father and mother so you can live long in the land I am giving you.’

13 ‘Do not be out here murdering people.’

14 ‘Do not be creeping with somebody else’s spouse.’

15 ‘Do not be stealing.’

16 ‘Do not be lying on people in court.’

17 ‘Do not be thirsting after your neighbor’s house, wife, servant, ox, donkey, or anything they got.’

The People Are Terrified

18 The people saw the thunder, lightning, smoke, and heard the trumpet blast. They got shook and backed up, scared.

19 They told Moses, ‘Listen, you talk to God for us. If He speaks to us directly, we are dead!’

20 Moses said, ‘Chill. God is just testing you all so you learn to respect Him and stop wilding out.’

21 But the people stayed back while Moses walked up into the thick cloud where God was.

God Gives More Commands

22 The Lord told Moses, ‘Tell the Israelites this: You heard Me speaking from heaven.’

23 ‘So do not make any gods of silver or gold for yourselves.’

24 ‘Build Me an altar from dirt and sacrifice your burnt offerings and peace offerings there. I will show up and bless you wherever I put My name.’

25 ‘If you make an altar from stone, do not use fancy carved stones. If you touch it with a tool, you messed it up.’

26 ‘And do not be making altars with steps, because I do not need people seeing up under your robe.’