Exodus 20

20 ¹Then our Father spoke all these words:

²"I am your Father, who brought you out of Egypt's land, out of the house of slavery.

³"Do not have any other gods before me.

⁴"Do not make yourself a carved image, or any likeness of what's in the heavens above, on earth below, or in water under the earth. ⁵Do not bow down to them or serve them; I, your Father, am a jealous Father, bringing the parents' sin down on children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶but showing covenant love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷"Do not take your Father's name in vain, for our Father will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain.

⁸"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a Sabbath to your Father. Do no work on it—you, your son, your daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the foreigner within your gates. ¹¹For in six days our Father made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all in them, then rested the seventh day; so our Father blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹²"Honor your father and your mother, so your days are long in the land your Father is giving you.

¹³"Do not murder.

¹⁴"Do not commit adultery.

¹⁵"Do not steal.

¹⁶"Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷"Do not crave your neighbor's house. Do not crave your neighbor's wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

¹⁸All the people saw the thunder, the lightning flashes, the trumpet blast, and the mountain smoking. Seeing it, they trembled and stood at a distance.

¹⁹They said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we'll listen. But don't let our Father speak with us, or we'll die."

²⁰Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; our Father has come to test you, so his fear will remain with you, and you will not sin." ²¹The people stayed back, while Moses approached the thick darkness where our Father was.

Moses Draws Near

²²Then our Father said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites: You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken with you from heaven. ²³Do not make gods of silver to be alongside me, nor make for yourselves gods of gold. ²⁴Make me an altar of earth, and on it sacrifice your burnt and peace offerings, your flocks and herds. Wherever I have my name remembered, I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵If you make me an altar of stone, do not build it of cut stones, for wielding your tool on it desecrates it. ²⁶Do not go up steps to my altar, so your nakedness isn't exposed on it."