Deuteronomy 1717DeuteronomyLaws for life in the landFree Bible Version

Free Bible VersionBerean Standard Bible

1. Detestable Sacrifices

2. 1FBVDon't sacrifice to the Lord your God cattle or a sheep that has a defect or has something seriously wrong, for that is offensive to the Lord your God.BSBBSB: You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God.

3. Purge the Idolater

4. 2FBVThere may be a report that one of you, whether a man or a woman, living in a town that the Lord your God gave you, has been found to be sinning in the sight of the Lord your God by breaking the Lord's agreement.BSBBSB: If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant
5. 3FBVThis person has done this by going to worship other gods, bowing down to them—or to the sun, moon, or any of the stars of heaven—which I have ordered you not to do.BSBBSB: and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—
6. 4FBVIf you hear such a report, you need to make a full investigation. If you find out that the report is true, and that such an awful sin has been committed in Israel,BSBBSB: and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly. If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel,
7. 5FBVyou must have the man or woman who has committed this terrible act taken outside the town and stoned to death.BSBBSB: you must bring out to your gates the man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you must stone that person to death.
8. 6FBVThat person is to be executed based on the evidence given by two or three witnesses. No one shall be executed on the evidence given by a single witness.BSBBSB: On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
9. 7FBVThe witnesses must act first in executing the person, and then the rest of those who are present. You must eliminate the evil from among you.BSBBSB: The hands of the witnesses shall be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. So you must purge the evil from among you.

10. Courts of Law

11. 8FBVIf there's a case before your town court that is too problematic for you to settle, whether the argument is over murder or manslaughter, one legal decision against another, or different degrees of assault, you must take the issue to the place the Lord your God will choose.BSBBSB: If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.
12. 9FBVGo to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge in charge. Present the case to them, and they will give you their decision.BSBBSB: You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.
13. 10FBVYou must abide by the decision they give you there at the place the Lord will choose. Make sure you do everything they tell you to do,BSBBSB: You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you,
14. 11FBVin accordance with the legal instructions they give you and the verdict they delivered. Don't deviate from the decision they give you.BSBBSB: according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you.
15. 12FBVAnyone who treats with contempt either the priest (who ministers before the Lord your God) or the judge, must be executed. You must eliminate this evil from Israel.BSBBSB: But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel.
16. 13FBVThen everyone else will hear about it and be afraid, and won't act with contempt in the future.BSBBSB: Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.

17. Guidelines for a King

    (1 Samuel 8:1–9)

18. 14FBVAfter you've entered the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and have taken it over and settled in it, and you decide, “Let's have a king to rule over us like all the other nations around us do,”BSBBSB: When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,”
19. 15FBVyou can have a king but only one chosen by the Lord your God. He must be an Israelite. You must not have a king who is a foreigner; someone who is not an Israelite.BSBBSB: you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.
20. 16FBVYour king must not have large numbers of horses, or send his men to Egypt to buy more horses, because the Lord has declared, “You must never return there again.”BSBBSB: But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’
21. 17FBVHe must not have many wives, so they don't lead him away from following the Lord. He must not have large quantities of silver and gold.BSBBSB: He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.
22. 18FBVOnce he is king and sits on his royal throne, he must make a copy for himself of these instructions, writing them on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.BSBBSB: When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.
23. 19FBVHe is to keep it with him, and he is to read from it each day throughout his life, so he may learn to respect the Lord his God by being careful to follow every word of these instructions and regulations.BSBBSB: It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes.
24. 20FBVThen he won't think more of himself than his fellow Israelites, and he won't deviate from the commandments, so that he and his sons may have long reigns over the kingdom of Israel.BSBBSB: Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.